Scandalous
by trichloroethane
Summary: YAOI, AU. When Lord Daisuke Niwa comes of age, he is immediately thrown into the treacherous currents of Aeylvenian politics. Unfortunately, he hooks in Viscount Dark Mousy on his first try. A scandal in itself, indeed.
1. Chapter 1

**Scandalous:**

Disclaimer: I don't own DN Angel or any other anime character mentioned in here. The only thing I own is the plot, and even then my claim is dubious.

Warnings: AU, satirical style (although probably very badly done).

A/N: I got the idea for this from a couple of satires and just me being my little cynical self during lunch. As for the ranking system, I'm not sure if it's correct, so I'm sorry for any errors. I'll fix them up if you tell me though. Also, this is an idea that's been cooking for a while, so whilst I'm stuck with writer's block, I'll work on this one and probably a few oneshots now and again. Hope you enjoy this new story!

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The room was filled with the sound of merry chatter and laughter. Lords and ladies of the nobility swirled about in a graceful, unknown dance of politics and schemes. Here, one would find more serpents in a square inch than they would in the whole of the Amazon jungle. Here was where everyone hid behind glittering, glamorous veils of money and decadence and ignored the outside world. Poverty might have been rampant in the dark, filthy cities and war-torn villages, but here, all was light and laughter. No one within these walls thought of the fear and despair outside, no one thought of helping others selflessly. Here, Decadence presided over all. Had the citizens of Aeylven seen this room, they would have been awed at the sight of so much wealth.

At the top of one of the grand staircases, a little chubby man with an overlarge moustache cleared his throat fussily. He was dressed in a royal blue coat and pale beige trousers, both with cherry red stripes running down the sides. A pair of golden epaulettes and a golden chain across his breast marked him as being the _johso_, or Master of Ceremonies. It was Lord Daisuke's eighteenth birthday, the day he would be presented to society. The babble slowly died down and he turned, bowing before the set of golden doors which slowly began to open. As Lord Daisuke stepped out, the rotund man announced pompously, "Lords and ladies, I present to you…" Here he took a breath, preparing to recite the titles that the young man in front of him held. "Lord Daisuke Niwa of House Shadow; son of Lord Kosuke of House Shadow and Lady Emiko of House Dale." Applause filled the room and the little man allowed himself a twitch of the lips. Everyone's eyes were fixed on the redhead standing at the top of the stairs.

Daisuke Niwa of House Shadow himself was ill at ease. His ruby eyes scanned the room frantically searching for any sign of a familiar face, but he caught none. He resisted the urge to gag as he descended the stairs and landed right in the middle of a group of young ladies, all of whom giggled and preened themselves whilst batting their eyelashes at him. He carefully wove his way through their voluminous skirts, smiling at them apologetically. He felt awkward in these situations and wondered briefly whether his older friends had ever felt the same way on the night of their presentation. He subconsciously slipped a hand into his pocket, feeling the small sheet of parchment upon which his speech was written.

"Why, good evening to you, Lord Daisuke. Congratulations upon the eve of your birth." Daisuke spun around to see a petit, blond young man. He was dressed in pale blue, which set off his eyes well and complemented his fair colouring.

"Ah, good evening to you too, good sir," he replied smoothly. "Thank you for your kind words." Indeed, he was grateful. Whilst many tried to curry favour with him with their oily words and their obsequious gestures, Daisuke felt that this man, at least, was genuinely pleased. "May I have the honour of knowing your name, please?" The words rolled off his tongue smoothly like some long-memorised formula, or the lines of a famous poem. The other smiled gently.

"I am Lord Quatre Raberba Winner." He hesitated as though wondering whether to say any more, but Daisuke already knew. His crimson eyes widened in surprise and he barely managed to keep a gasp in check.

"From House Sandrock in Kingdom Cinq?" Lord Winner smiled in reply, but a flush on his cheeks showed that he was embarrassed at the recognition.

"Yes. But please," he said gently, "don't treat me so formally now!" He laughed at the expression on Daisuke's face. "I was looking forward to be able to speak to someone of my own age in a less formal manner." The redhead wasn't sure how to respond to this and he stammered out something awkward along the lines of 'don't worry'. "How about I bring you to my friends?" He asked lightly. "Or would you prefer to wander around and play the host?" At the shocked expression on Daisuke's face, he laughed once more. "Come, then." With a graceful wave of his hand, he directed Daisuke to another part of the room, where four youths and two women were seated.

"'Tis a fine night for conversation," one of them commented. "Are you taking another charge, Quatre?" The blond laughed and smiled up at Daisuke.

One of the young women, one with her honey brown tresses tied up into two thick braids spoke up. "Stop making him uncomfortable," she sternly told the previous speaker. Daisuke was surprised; not many ladies he knew would have dared to take such a tone with their husbands.

The first one smiled at her devilishly, his amethyst eyes dancing with a wicked light. He nonchalantly brushed a stray wisp of hair which had fallen out of the tight braid and winked at the redhead. "Faith, Sally, there's no need to take such a tone. Heaven above knows that I would never dream of doing such a thing." The lady sighed and rolled her eyes, expression telling him exactly what she thought. The braided man leaned forward, smiling cheerily. "So," he said, running his eyes over Daisuke. The redhead shuddered. "You're Daisuke Niwa. It's a pleasure to meet you," he said, sticking out a hand for Daisuke to shake. Quatre sighed from his place behind the young man.

"Duo," he scolded lightly. "Since you're obviously so incapable, I'll—"

"Do the introductions," the other cut in. He smiled rakishly once more before leaning back into the chair and waving a hand dismissively. "Continue."

Quatre huffed, blue eyes indignant, and Daisuke was tempted to smile. "This," the blond gestured to the braided man, "is Count Duo Maxwell of House Deathscythe. The brown haired young man there," he gestured at a figure standing behind Duo's chair, "is Sir Heero Yuy." Daisuke wondered why the man's name seemed familiar. "The other one, with green eyes, is Baron Trowa Barton of House Triton. His sister, Lady Catherine, is the one on your left." Daisuke looked and Lady Catherine smiled at him sweetly. He blushed and smiled awkwardly back, hoping no one would make fun of him. "Then we have Baron Wufei Chang of House Shenlong and his wife, Baroness Sally." The woman with braided hair smiled, whilst her dark-haired husband bowed stiffly.

"Of course, there's dear old Lord Quatre Raberba Winner too," the Count piped up. He smirked at the blond and then stretched out a hand, pretending to shake at the other's disapproving look. "A horse!" he quoted lightly, "A horse! My kingdom-or should that be title?-for a horse!" He then turned to Daisuke. "We're all from Kingdom Cinq," he said cheerily. The redhead nodded, unsure of what to say. Duo grinned and stood up, slinging an arm over his shoulders. "My, aren't you the pretty one." Smiling, he leaned over to whisper huskily into Daisuke's ear. "What say you, Dai-chan? You, me, a bed…hm?" Daisuke looked at him askance.

"What do you mean?" he asked innocently. "What would we possibly do in a bed?" The men stared whilst the women tittered. Well, Lady Catherine did. Baroness Sally, on the other hand, stood up and frowned at the Count.

"Count Maxwell, I hardly believe this is appropriate for polite conversation." She smiled wickedly at the other. "I know your taste runs into exotic young men, but 'twould be a grave breach of protocol to suggest such things to our dear host." The braided sighed and nonchalantly tossed his head, the long braid whipping about.

"Such catty comments are beneath you, my dear," he retorted. "Or do you desire something else?" Quatre hastily stepped forward.

"Stop being so incorrigible, Duo," he scolded the other. Then he turned to smile at Daisuke, blue eyes open and sincere. "Please accept my apologies for him. Methinks he has partaken of the liquor rather freely." Dismissing the Count's protests with a wave of his hand, he beamed at Daisuke. "Please, feel free to stay and talk." Daisuke glanced up once more at the four men and decided that if all he had to look forward to with this group were vulgar jokes and silent stares, he'd be better off leaving. The Count sighed and straightened up, taking his arm off Daisuke's shoulder.

"Sorry, perhaps later, at dinner?" Daisuke smiled weakly at all of them-a feat in itself, considering that he was met by three cold stares and a lecherous smile-and he hastily left.

Dinner passed in a haze of conversation and speeches. The redhead sighed as he picked at the quail eggs and lemongrass on his plate, wondering whether all presentation dinners were this annoying. Granted, he was naïve in many matters, but even a child would be able to tell that the majority of speeches were made to curry favour with his parents, not him. _Tch, _he thought irritably, _With's a better companion. _Looking around the table, he sighed once more.

It was time for the dancing, what Daisuke privately thought of as the most uncomfortable part of the evening. Contrary to popular belief, there was an art to waltzing with a lady of noble birth. Hold her too close, and she would take it as an advance. Hold her too far, and she would be offended. As a result, the poor man was blushing nicely by the time they reached the tango, and he was close to a state of collapse. Luckily, no one noticed, as the alcohol had finally permeated their brains. The music faded away, and Daisuke looked around once more, wondering who he was going to dance with this time. It seemed that most of the young women here were beautiful, which was just as well; their intelligence was sorely lacking, or so it seemed to the young lord. Looking up at the orchestra, he shut his eyes and gently hummed along to the music, enjoying the tune. Then a young woman passed him with a smile and a giggle. As though on cue, he was swarmed by them once more and the poor redhead could only blush and stutter and smile awkwardly.

The evening drew to a close, and soon all the visitors were saying their goodbyes. Daisuke waved cheerily to Quatre and Sally, and carefully smiled at the others despite his aching cheeks. Apart from Duo holding up the line a little by making a comment on how /well/ Daisuke's breeches fitted him, the departures were relatively mundane.

Back in his room, Daisuke sat in front of the cheery fire, thinking. He didn't like the party at all, except for the Cinq delegation. At least they were genuine, unlike most of the others he'd talked to tonight. Sighing, he leaned back and closed his eyes, rubbing his temples lightly.

**Next morning: **

Going through his kata the next morning, Daisuke felt free. It wasn't that he liked fighting, but being in the cool morning air and surrounded by nature appealed to him, especially after that garish display of wealth last night. Remaining in his position for a moment longer, he opened his eyes as the wind changed around him, signaling someone's presence.

Dark sighed in annoyance. Although his father could have simply sent over a gift via one of the couriers, he insisted on sending his son with it instead. Not to mention the fact that she refused to spare anyone to go with him 'because we're already short on help as it is'. Although he personally could not see who would be missed; the castle was filled to the brim with servants! Surely he could cajole one of them to go with him? He glared around at the clearing before his eyes came to rest on the redhaired youth standing in front of him. "Excuse me," he haughtily said, "but would you be so kind as to tell me where Castle Shadow is?" _Stupid name, _he thought. _It sounds like a stronghold for evil plotters in a children's fairytale. _

The young redhead nodded and smiled before pointing. "It's that way," he softly said. His eyes were warm and they lingered just a little on his form before the boy looked away. "Just keep riding in that direction and you'll find it." Dark nodded and spurred Haiku onwards.

He arrived at the castle earlier than expected. However, all was not lost. He managed to secure a 'hot water bottle' for the night in the form of a plump little servant girl and he was looking forward to meeting this couple. Their son, Daisuke, had come of age recently and although the ball was over, the viscount was forced to come later as he had just arrived back from a long sojourn in Ayureven. Lord and Lady Niwa were said to be eccentric in their own way, and thus were scorned by the majority of the population. They were said to be too lenient with their serfs and as a result, the son was said to be odd as well. Dark was tempted to roll his eyes at this again. _God help us, _he thought sardonically, _the barbarians are pounding down the gates. One of our kind is associating with the serfs! Help us, Great One, help us! _

"Lord Dark Mousy," Baron Kosuke said. "It is good to see you. What brings you here?" Dark smiled smoothly.

"Naught but the sentiments of my father and myself." He bowed low before presenting the other with the letter, which was accepted.

"Many thanks. You must be weary from your journey. Towa!" The baron called. "Please show Lord Dark to his chambers. Be sure that he gets good treatment; last time's…mishap was not taken lightly." The grey haired young woman smiled happily and bowed deeply before leading Dark off. As they walked out of the meeting hall, Dark sighed before something solid collided with him. He staggered back a few steps only to gasp in recognition as the owner of the striking crimson colouring did the same.

"You!" They both gasped. Dark was the first to recover and he looked icily at the younger one. Without another word, he looked at Towa expectantly. She took the hint and walked off down the hallways of the large palace. Daisuke frowned after the other. _He's so stuck up, _he thought.

Entering, he bowed low before his parents. Emiko smiled and stood up, descending from the raised platform. "Daisuke," she warmly said. "How are you today?"

"I'm fine, Mother," he truthfully said. She laughed in response.

"I thought you would be sleeping off the effects of the party last night," she commented amusedly. "But then again, you've always been well disciplined, haven't you?"

"I don't like them very much," Daisuke commented. "They flutter and preen and lie, and it's all so ugly that it's difficult to see how anyone could be awed by them." Emiko nodded gravely and then sighed. Some days, she felt like telling all the pretty nobles to get out and stay out.

"Yes, I know what you mean, Daisuke. But we must continue to live with kindness and honour. I'm sure there are other nobles around like us, who care for justice and equality for all."

"But there are few of them, and they keep quiet," Daisuke pointed out. Emiko nodded.

"I don't know…you met some of them last night." The redheaded lord blinked.

He thought a little, going through the list of acquaintances he had made last night. "I don't know who you mean, honorable Mother," he replied.

Emiko laughed a little. "There's no need to be so formal," she lightly teased. "What about the Cinq delegation, were they not kind?" Daisuke thought about them for a while before shaking his head.

"Lord Winner seemed to be rather talkative, but the others were mostly silent." He answered. He felt that he had told the truth; after all, the ladies did not say much for their part and the men seemed to prefer their own circle of company. He doubted that anyone would have said anything to him at all had Quatre not brought him there.

Emiko looked thoughtful. "I hear Count Maxwell was there, is that true?" At first, Daisuke was clueless. _Who…? _The image of the braided Count appeared in his mind and he blushed a little, remembering the other's remarks.

"Poor little Dai-chan, did he catch your fancy?"

"Mother!" Daisuke gasped, shocked by such a thing coming from her. He had always thought of his mother as a little mischievous at times, but certainly not like that!

"You will be worse than a barmaid if you continue!" He gasped. Emiko sighed again; her son could be so naïve sometimes.

"One remark does not a barmaid make," she serenely replied. "Besides, it is common fact that Count Maxwell has a taste for men as well as women. I believe his current…partner is Sir Yuy, is he not?" Daisuke flushed darkly and wondered whether he could turn another shade of red. Emiko waved her hand once more. "Common gossip, dear child," she replied. She grinned wickedly and Daisuke gulped, knowing what was to come. "But he is choosy," she added thoughtfully. "Come, come, Dai-chan, you can tell your mother anything." The poor redhead blushed at the thought of even trying to repeat what the Count had said. Emiko squealed with glee and clapped her hands. "Oh, yes, when he left! I was so sure you would turn into a strawberry, Dai-chan, I was!" She laughed merrily whilst her son turned an even darker shade of red.

Their 'talk' continued for a while longer, Daisuke's lessons having been cancelled on account of the large ball the previous night. When Emiko finally left, the young lord felt that he would never be able to ever look at anyone in the Cinq delegation again without blushing or stuttering. Especially not the stoic, cold Sir Yuy or the innocent looking Lord Winner.

"Good day to you, sir," a cool voice sounded from behind him. Turning around, Daisuke blinked at the lord who had accosted him during his morning practice. "Would you do me the pleasure of walking with me?" Daisuke nodded before falling into step with the other. They moved in silence for fifteen minutes until the other finally spoke. When he did, it was as though he had become a completely different man. His voice was huskier and had Daisuke been too naïve to know it, it had become seductive like velvet. "My apologies, I did not know you were the son of Lord and Lady Niwa." Daisuke laughed uncomfortably.

"I-I do not take offense," He stammered out. The other smiled, then continued.

"I am Lord Dark Mousy of House Blackwing, son of Lord Evan Mousy and Lady Alice Croix." Daisuke blinked; House Blackwing was one of the most prestigious houses in the whole of Aeylven and one of the most well-known. "May I have the pleasure of your acquaintance?" At this point, the other stopped and gently leaned closer as though listening for some secret Daisuke had to impart.

"Lord Daisuke Niwa of House Shadow," he quickly said. He didn't feel it necessary to add his parents' names; Dark seemed to know them already. The other smiled.

"Daisuke," he murmured softly. "A fitting name. Tell me; do you love easily?" The redhead squirmed uncomfortably; the topic was embarrassing and he didn't feel comfortable with the other lord invading his personal space. The memory of Count Maxwell and Sir Yuy's relationship made itself known in his mind and he blushed further.

"I-I don't think this is a topic for discussion," he stammered out. Dark smiled, sighed a little and moved away.

"My, my, so modest. How enchanting," he said before leaning in once more and brushing his fingers across Daisuke's cheek. "Well, I must be leaving. I have some tasks to attend to, but do feel free to come in and talk to me. I have a feeling we will be…good friends." Was it Daisuke's wild imagination, or did he just hear the slightest bit of emphasis on 'good friends'? Shaking off his fantasies, he nodded at the other.

Dark was delighted. The little boy he'd met on his way to the castle was none other than _the _heir to the Shadow estates! A pity he had already arranged for the servant girl to come up; he would have loved to spend some more time with the young noble in his room. Not that, of course. Still, he wouldn't mind. Dark smiled to himself. Oh yes, things would be quite interesting indeed. No; not in the least bit boring, like he'd expected. The son being a gorgeous piece of art was a beautiful bonus, and his naïveté…well, his naïveté was beyond comparison. Oh yes; it would feel exquisite to corrupt the young one.

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Thank you for reading, and please drop me a review on your way out. I really love them, and I'd also appreciate it if you told me of your opinion so that I can decide on whether or not to continue this story. Thanks for reading!

**Preview of next chapter (provided this one tickles enough people's fancies):**

"Look at me." A gentle pressure on his face and Daisuke reluctantly turned to face the other. "Now, was that so hard?" the other asked in amusement. Purple eyes roamed over his face, and Daisuke blushed under the intense scrutiny. "You know," the other commented thoughtfully, "I can see why so many women want you. You are quite fair of face and form."


	2. Chapter 2

**Advance 2:**

Disclaimer: I own neither DN Angel nor any of the other anime characters mentioned in this story.

Warnings: They were at the beginning.

A/N: Just to clear up any confusion (thank you NatsuTsuki), this is NOT a crossover. I have borrowed characters from various animes to:  
a) Save myself the trouble of thinking up names and Houses for OCs and  
b) To add a little amusement to the entire piece. C'mon, who doesn't love seeing a mixture of various anime characters?

* * *

The next few days passed in a swirl of tea parties, plays and balls, all held in Daisuke's honour. Many of the nobles knew that the Niwas would be looking for a suitable bride for their son and were determined to marry a daughter into the prestigious clan. However, today he was with the Harada clan, as their parents had invited him and his family over to celebrate Riku's engagement. Daisuke was sitting with Riku in another part of the castle, as Risa was with her betrothed Duke Saehara. 

"It's that bad?" He asked in concern. Riku nodded, brown eyes fierce.

"Yes! I don't want to marry, but my parents insist upon it, and they plan to give my hand to House Drayne!" Daisuke winced; Draynes were known for their utter disregard for anyone other than themselves and the Duke himself was supposedly the epitome of cruelty.

"Can you not…?" Riku shook her head sadly. Daisuke knew that he could easily save Riku from such a frightening fate, but he could not, and would not subject her to being his wife when all they had was a platonic friendship. "Perhaps House Urameshi…?" He suggested, hoping against hope. Riku shook her head tiredly.

"No, their son's already engaged to the Yukimuras' daughter," she said. "My wedding will be soon; father has already gone to finalise the arrangements and I will be meeting Lord Drayne three days from now, if all goes well." Her head slowly fell down and she wept into Daisuke's shoulder.

Dark wandered around the Niwa gardens, smirking slyly at the serving maids. The little one he'd had last night was rather boring. It was the same way everywhere, but he was hoping to change the monotony soon. Daisuke had reacted nicely towards his advances; the little redhead had flushed and backed off and had Dark not known that the lord was quite popular amongst many circles, he would have said that the other was trying to avoid him.

"Daisuke Niwa," he murmured to himself aloud. He wished that he could talk to the young one a little more. Then a sly smirk curved his lips upwards, and Dark smiled as he thought of the perfect way to greet the other as soon as he returned home. After all, Lord Niwa's bedchambers were just above his, and it would be no great task to pay him a night time visit, would it? With a glance at the sky, which showed the setting sun, he hurried off to prepare.

Daisuke arrived home late that night with a heavy weight upon his heart which had not been there before. After dining with the Haradas and seeing the look of muted anguish upon Riku's face as her parents discussed her upcoming marriage, he wanted nothing more than to stay in his chambers. He knew that there was no way to resolve her problem, but at the same time he wanted to help her in any way he could. He finally arrived at his door after re-assuring his mother and father that there was nothing wrong with him, and he did not need a healer. He sighed once more and slowly pushed the door open, loosening his cravat. The sight that met his eyes was…frightening, to say the very least.

Lord Dark Mousy of House Blackwing, son of Lord Evan, _Teku_(1)of the Aelyven Council was lying on the bed. His bed, to be precise. Daisuke was shocked, and not only by the other's presence, either. The older man was lying splayed out on the bed in a most provocative manner. His eyes were cast upon the ceiling at the moment, but what shocked the young lord the most was that his 'visitor' was dressed only in a thin nightshirt and he was…writhing underneath the blankets. Amethyst eyes turned to look at him and Daisuke felt his heart skip a little at the intense gaze the other fixed upon him. "W-what are you doing?" He gasped into the room.

Dark smiled and slipped out of the bed, stalking towards the younger one gracefully. He knew the picture he presented; hair tousled as though he had just been ravished, eyes filled with a burning fire deep within that would ignite all but a corpse's blood. "My, my," he whispered, dipping his head low to whisper into the other's ear. "Aren't we tense..." With a stifled yelp, Daisuke placed both hands firmly on the other's chest and _shoved_. The purple-haired lord grunted as he was thrown backwards a little and winced as Daisuke grabbed his glaive, which was hanging by the door. "Eh, it was just…" he weakly began, but the little redhead was embarrassed and shocked beyond comprehension.

"If you _dare _enter my chambers like that ever again," Daisuke hissed angrily, "I will—" Dark couldn't resist the temptation.

"You'll what?" drawled he. "You'll pin me to the bed and ravish me?" Daisuke wrinkled his nose in distaste, but rolled his eyes in exasperation.

"Don't be stupid," he said sharply. Dark winced; the blade was still aimed at his heart and he would rather not die due to a trick gone wrong. "How can a man ravish a man?" Daisuke asked scornfully. "It was not meant to happen." The purple-haired lord resisted the urge to laugh, but failed miserably in spite of the long, gleaming glaive resting dangerously close to him.

He gave the other a sultry look, running his tongue over his lips. The other might be angry and embarrassed, but he was even more handsome with that look on his face. The flickering shadows cast by the torchlight also served to throw his delicate features into sharp relief, highlighting the straight nose and the striking red eyes gleaming in the half-darkness. "Curious, little one?" Dark asked. He smiled disarmingly, the glaive trembling before his face before its wielder re-focused.

Daisuke's hands trembled as he heard what the other said. Did…did Count Maxwell and Sir Yuy do those things too? He shook his head angrily, cursing the unorthodox pair and his mother for bringing up their relationship. "Silence, Dark," he said commandingly. With a teasing smile and a wink, the other complied. "And get out. I don't want to see you in here ever again, understand? If you wish to speak with me, we will converse in the garden or somewhere else in the castle." Dark didn't reply, choosing to give the other a silky smile before standing up and swaying out the door. He didn't forget to brush his hosts' son's backside gently as he passed the other.

The glaive clattered to the floor noisily as its owner sank into a chair and stared in shock at the rumpled sheets. Crimson eyes glanced over the ornately carved wardrobe doors before returning to rest on the large bed. Sighing, Daisuke clambered into the bed. He might have been infuriated to find another sleeping in his bed as though attempting to seduce him, but he was not so wholly enraged that he would wake the servants up to change his sheets. Sighing, he slid under the sheets and blew out the candle, snuggling into his pillow before realizing that it smelled faintly of musk and oddly enough, morning-bedewed grass. _Dark's _scent.

The next morning, Dark acted as though nothing had happened between the two of them. Where Daisuke blushed and stammered, the purple-haired lord laughed and talked as gaily as a maiden at a fair. In fact, he acted so cheerfully that Daisuke was almost restored to his usual good humour. In the middle of the meal, however, the younger lord felt a foot slide up his leg. Smilingly (he wasn't angry yet) he told Dark softly, "You're kicking me." The other grinned devilishly, but took his leg off anyway. Daisuke wondered whether he had found the table leg yet; he, too, had a habit of kicking the table during meals, although not so gently, he admitted to himself.

Dark wondered at Lord Niwa's naïveté; did the man know nothing of what transpired between a man and a woman? In any case, he most certainly did not know of teasing. _Well, _he thought with a smirk, _I'll just have to educate him. _He waited for a while longer before running his foot up against the other's leg. Smiling pleasantly at Daisuke, he blithely ignored all of the younger man's attempts to tell him that his leg was _not _part of the table. Daisuke froze as the foot traveled up further, resting gently on his thigh. He stood up abruptly and the chair screeched as it scraped across the floor. He looked at his parents. "My deepest apologies, honorable Father and Mother," he said formally, "May I please be excused? I just remembered…" he hesitated as he cast around for a suitable excuse in his brain. "I just remembered that Sir Mouri wants to train earlier today." His parents looked suspicious, but Lord Kosuke nodded. Relieved, the redhead ran. Dark just laughed and turned to Lady Emiko, asking about her plans for her son.

_Thank goodness, _Daisuke thought. He didn't know what Dark wanted, but he was smart enough to feel uncomfortable when the other's foot had rested so close to…he flushed at the thought…that area. _Just what is wrong with him, anyway? _Daisuke wondered. He did not in the least find Dark's joke from the previous night amusing, but that was all that the other lord wanted to do, right? Play a joke on him, right? So why was it carrying on into the next day? Pushing the thoughts out of his head, he hastily changed into his loose training clothes and headed down to the practice courts. After all, he didn't have anywhere else to go.

The smell of fresh grass and nature greeted the young lord and he was glad for something to take his mind off his recent predicament. Dark annoyed him sorely and if he didn't know any better, he'd say that the other man was deriving pleasure from his discomfort. He began to go through some of his glaive forms, hoping to ease himself into a better frame of mind. Anyway, Sir Mouri wouldn't be down for another hour or so; he knew how much the training master cherished routine and order.

"Good morning, Lord Daisuke!" Sighing and panting slightly, Daisuke lowered his weapon so that the sharp end was facing the ground. He smiled at the pale knight, who wore his customary light blue armour. "Now then," his instructor began, "We'll start off with the Ni Shi Ki Goromo, followed by the Nami Tsumi.(2)" Daisuke nodded and assumed the starting position for the first kata, closing his eyes in order to concentrate better. As he moved gracefully through the different positions, he felt the other man circling him to ensure that he was doing everything correctly. He finished the first, waiting for some sign from his master. The other merely nodded, and Daisuke began the second, forcing down the small tingle of pleasure he felt from earning no reprimand from the other.

As he finished, he brought the blade up in a swift arc over his head and to the side, letting it hover before slowly returning to resting position. Sir Mouri nodded, smiling happily. "Good work, Daisuke," he praised the other. "You seem to be less stiff today; should I attribute that to your previous warm-up exercises, or should I be thanking someone?" His eyes danced with gentle humour. "Now, we will spar," he told the other, raising his own weapon. Daisuke was about to protest, but the other brooked no argument, merely telling him, "It is necessary to learn to fight with and without armour on. In fact, I think you will find it easier without the armour." Raising his yari, he levelled it at his pupil's chest. "We begin…now!"

Daisuke was surprised at this new change in his routine. Normally they would spar, but with both of them wearing armour. Frowning, he raised his weapon cautiously and jumped backwards to avoid being speared on the three-pronged weapon. "Mind yourself!" The other sharply reprimanded, stabbing forward again. Daisuke's head whirled; he struggled to force himself back into the rhythmic dance, but he was no match for the other and within minutes he was on the ground, the yari pointed at his face.

"Yield!" He gasped out. His instructor stepped away and from the look on his face, Daisuke could tell that he was disappointed.

Sir Mouri stood a little way off, waiting for his pupil to recover. When Daisuke got up, the armoured man nodded briefly to the water bottle on the side of the clearing. "Drink." Whilst the other refreshed himself, the knight talked. "Funny; I was sure you would give me a challenge today. Your forms were excellent, but your sparring was abysmal." He sighed, auburn locks waving slightly in the breeze. "I must say, Lord Daisuke, I expected something a little better of you." Daisuke lowered his head, acknowledging the scolding. He blinked as a pair of teal eyes stared deeply into his, the older knight examining his features closely. The crimson haired youth yelped and tumbled backwards, reminded sharply of Dark's features close to his. "My goodness," the other commented as he followed. "Are you all right?" He looked anxiously at his pupil, dropping his weapon in haste to examine the other. "Did you get scraped?" Daisuke blinked; how a man could be so motherly and so proficient at fighting at the same time was beyond his understanding. He waved the other's hands away and rolled to his feet.

"I'm fine," he sighed. "Don't worry, Sir Mouri." Teal eyes peered at him until he glared back and then the knight straightened up.

"Come," the other said, smiling at him once more. "Then let us have another round." Daisuke repressed a groan and raised his weapon once more. This time, the fight lasted longer, but Daisuke was still pinned to the ground in the end, courtesy of the Torrent Knight's mancatcher. Sighing once more, Mouri released the steel prongs and the look on his face almost made Daisuke want to break down into tears. Guilt trips were not something he could handle well and the look of sheer disappointment on the knight's face would be enough to make even a seasoned barbarian feel shame for being the cause of it.

The training session lasted for another hour before Mouri was finally satisfied. Daisuke staggered away, wondering whether he would ever be able to look the other in the eye again, but before he could disappear, the knight called out, "Why did you tell your parents I wanted you an hour early?" Cursing the other's intelligence, Daisuke pretended not to hear him and ran off. Thankfully, he did not run into Dark on the way back into his chambers.

A quick scrubbing session later and he was at class. He stared blankly at the diagrams in the book and wondered why the option of using the Mage to distract the bandits from the cave was not a viable option. "Sir," he finally ventured when the other man gave him a pithy look. "Why wouldn't using a Mage to cast an illusion to drive the bandits away be a good idea?" At the look on the older man's face, he cringed.

"Look closely," the teacher replied with feigned patience. "Do you see the word, 'Mage' written anywhere on that page?" Silence. _Whoops._ He blushed as his tutor rubbed his temples. Right there and then, he decided that everything was Dark's fault. If he hadn't…touched him at breakfast, then he wouldn't be in this predicament right now! "You would do well to remember that I am expected to present a report of your progress to your father in two days' time," the man dryly commented.

He heaved a relieved sigh as he sank down into one of the large chairs in his room at the end of the lessons. No one was there to see him, so he would be able to relax. Then the presence of his father filled the room and he fought not to cringe. "Yes, honorable Father?"

Kosuke's face was bland, as his voice was, but it was clear that he was not pleased. "Your tutors all say that you have been…distracted today. Is this true?" Daisuke winced, but nodded. Kosuke sighed and closed his eyes. "My son, it is your duty to do well in your studies. The world does not tolerate fools. You are no longer a boy, Daisuke. You are a man, and you must take your lessons seriously." The redhead nodded, feeling worse and worse with each word. "I am disappointed with you," his father finished. "I hope that this will not be the same case with you tomorrow." The lord left his son to his own thoughts.

In the library, Daisuke pored over his Strategy textbook, forcing himself to think about the situation 'from every angle', as his tutor liked to put it. He heard someone enter the room and instinctively knew who it was. _Oh no. _He huddled lower, hoping against hope that the pile of books would somehow conceal him from the newcomer's sight. To his dismay, it didn't and the other immediately crossed the room. "My, my, little Daisuke. So studious." He forced himself not to react. _Maybe if I ignore him, he'll leave me alone. _"Aw," the other said. His tone was mockingly petulant. "Is that a cut(3)?"

That was an insult Daisuke could not leave unanswered. "Lord Mousy," he tiredly said, running a hand through his hair.

"Oh!" The other feigned surprise and shock. "What a surprise. You remember me!"

"I could hardly fail to do so," the Niwa replied calmly.

"Indeed," the other agreed. "I have been known to steal ladies' hearts. 'Twould not have surprised me, if I had stolen your heart too. Come now," he added after seeing that Daisuke was determinedly staring at his book. "Look at me, little one. You know you want to." He let his hand rest lightly on the other's shoulder.

"I am busy," Daisuke gritted through his teeth. Gods, Lord Mousy was so _annoying_! "I apologise profusely for my behaviour…" _Like Hell,_ he thought grimly, "and I hope that perhaps we will find another time to talk." _There, _he thought in satisfaction. _That should get rid of him. _Unfortunately, the purple-haired lord continued as though he had not heard a word of his speech.

"Look at me." A gentle pressure on his face and Daisuke reluctantly turned to face the other. "Now, was that so hard?" the other asked in amusement. Purple eyes roamed over his face, and Daisuke blushed under the intense scrutiny. "You know," the other commented thoughtfully, "I can see why so many women want you. You are quite fair of face and form."

"W-what?" Daisuke stammered out. How did Lord Mousy cause him to lose control of himself like that so easily? He trembled slightly as his guest's hand travelled slowly over his face, cupping his chin delicately and brushing his thumb over his lips. He resisted the urge to nip the slender appendage.

"Soft," Dark murmured. He gazed into those captivating crimson orbs once more and smirked at the innocence that they revealed. He wanted to be the one responsible for dulling them, for filling them with the jaded light that people saw in his own violet eyes. "Tell me, little one," he huskily murmured, "have you ever been with anyone?" Daisuke gasped and weakly tried to push him away, but Dark knew better. Those pushes were weaker than a month-old baby's, and if that weapon he'd been wielding the night before said anything, Daisuke was much stronger than he looked. Slowly the older lord leaned in and traced the outermost curve of Daisuke's ear slowly and deliberately before pulling away. "You know where to find me," he said before leaving the room. Smiling to himself, he proceeded down the corridor.

Daisuke ran fingers over his ear and frowned, unable to comprehend what had brought Dark to him in the first place. He didn't _enjoy _the other man's…ministrations on him, but neither could he say that he loathed them. It was more like a curiosity, a little creature that poked its head up at the most inopportune times and inevitably led him into trouble. He had never had anyone try to do things like that to him before, but it made him feel hot and awkward at the same time. He knew it was wrong, but at the same time he couldn't bring himself to stop the other. The little redhead exhaled in irritation and looked back down at his book, determined to figure out a way to defeat four ogres with fifty peasant soldiers.

Dark sauntered down the hallways of the castle, satisfied with his day's work. Admittedly, he had done almost nothing here save for bringing the message, but he felt that a week or two's delay would not put him in any danger with his father. After all, the man was so wrapped up in the Council's problems, he wouldn't even notice that his only son was gone for an inordinately long period of time unless someone pointed it out to him, and even then the point might only be answered by a vague mumble. He'd be lucky if the man even read his letter!

_Daisuke's most certainly an intriguing young man, _he thought to himself as he remembered the look of confused arousal on the other's face. _He may be considered a man in terms of age, but he is a child in terms of emotional development. _He briefly wondered how long it would take him to bed the redhead properly before chuckling; he would have to do a little more work first. He decided to talk to some of the staff, including the young lord's tutors. He remembered seeing the young one in the company of a blue-armoured knight, and tugging his cloak around himself, Dark set off in search of the said knight.

When he arrived at the training grounds, he was a little curious to see a small group of people gathered around what appeared to be the archery field. His eyes picked out the glint of something golden and Dark walked over, curious to see just what could be so shiny in such a place. When he arrived, he was rather surprised. A young man wearing dark blue armour was shooting at a target. His bow, in contrast to the gleaming honey or rich dark brown of wood, was a shiny gold in colour and looked somewhat more substantial than a normal longbow. However, he wore no helmet, and as a result his appearance was all the more striking, for he had blue hair. It was not blue-black hair like the people of Eoigonia had, but a shade of ultramarine blue. His face was serene and his eyes closed as though he did not need to see his target in order to hit it. Another golden arrow flew from the bow and embedded itself, quivering, into the very centre of the target. "Well done, Rowan," another applauded. He had light reddish-brown hair and was quite pale in contrast to some of the more tanned youths. He wore light blue armour and a long yari was strapped to his back as well as a tanto. Dark smiled; he'd found the prince's trainer.

"Good day, gentlemen," he smoothly said. "A fair shot," he told the archer, thinking that the man would fall in awe. To his surprise, the man ignored the comment, turning to smile at his friend.

"He's looking fer ya," the archer commented in a twangy, but not wholly unpleasant accent. He grinned at the yari-wielder and nudged him gently. "Go on," he teased. The other frowned lightly, then stepped away from the crowd and headed towards Dark.

"Good day, my lord. How may I be of assistance?" His tone was formal and his accent smooth and polished, different from the blue-haired archer.

Dark smiled. "Please, just call me Dark." The knight smiled politely, if not a little stiffly, and a man in red armour barked out a laugh before turning back to speak to the archer. "Are you the one who trains Daisuke Niwa?" The knight nodded slightly.

"That indeed I am. Does that interest you, my lord?" Cye just didn't feel comfortable calling Dark by his name.

"Yes, indeed it does. But first of all, may I please know your name? 'Twould be a shame to speak to one as skilled as yourself and still not know your name." The knight blushed lightly and Dark was tempted to flirt with him too, just to see more of that becoming pink hue. Gods; no wonder Niwa was so innocent. If the people training him were this easily embarrassed, it would be no mystery as to why Daisuke himself had no clue as to what went on between a man and a woman in a bedroom, and the mere _thought _of what two men could do together would be a concept beyond his understanding.

"Please, you think too highly of me." As they talked, they had moved further from the crowd and now lord and knight were standing in the combat field, which sorely tempted Dark to flirt just a little. Being somewhat impulsive, he let his feelings colour his actions towards the pale knight.

"Of course not! So young, and already teaching a lord! It's a rare thing indeed!" He added a laugh for effect and inwardly smirked to see the knight flush a little more. "Your modesty is most endearing, though. Your name?" He really did want to know this one's name; he wanted to remember it in case he didn't have time to 'convert' Daisuke and needed a willing partner.

Sir Mouri blushed further as Dark continued to praise him. "It's Sir Mouri, my lord," he said formally. "Sir Mouri of the Torrent." Dark clapped his hands as though he were a child delighted with a new toy.

"Your name is Mouri, then? Please, tell me your birth name too. I am sure it will be one fitting of you." The Torrent knight blushed even further, wondering whether this man was deliberately saying such things.

"I am Sir Cye Mouri of the Torrent." He bowed once more, hating his embarrassment and his pale skin. "I tutor the prince in the use of his glaive, my lord."

Dark smiled archly. "Such skill in one so young!" he exclaimed once more. "I perceive that Daisuke and his family must trust you, then?" Cye bowed once more.

"One can only hope so, my lord."

"Please," the heir to House Blackwing said, "do call me Dark. I feel more comfortable when people do. My lord reminds me of my father." _That pompous man, _he added to himself. The knight looked rather shocked, so the purple-haired lord smiled disarmingly. "Don't worry," he told the other. "So, Cye, tell me a little about yourself."

Cye was surprised and felt uncomfortable in Dark's presence. He didn't like the way the other lord was clearly looking for information on the redhead and he silently promised himself not to betray Daisuke, no matter how many questions the stranger asked. "Um, well, I apologise, but I must…"

Dark inwardly cursed the knight's noble nature. "Please, stay," he said, placing one hand on the other's arm and smiling. It would have probably helped if he was a woman, but in this case being a man would do just as well; the knight acted a little too effeminately to be completely heterosexual. The corners of Dark's mouth twisted upwards in a wry smile as he remembered his…initiation into the sordid world of nobility and for a brief, fleeting moment he envied the knight in front of him, who only had to worry about where his lord would send him next. "Torrent? Do you hold a special connection with water, perhaps? Or are you named for your nature?" He smiled suavely as the knight shot him another look. _Perhaps not just a pretty face, then. _

The Torrent knight was annoyed now; he didn't like the way the other kept asking about him. He quickly blurted out the first thing that came to mind, trying to deflect the older man's questions from himself. "If you're so interested in Daisuke, why don't you just go talk to him?" He flushed in embarrassment and fear of the lord's reaction, but to his further discomfort the older man merely laughed.

An amethyst eye winked at him and the lord sauntered off, the wind ruffling his shocking purple hair. "Of course, of course," he laughed. "Well, it was nice talking to you, Cye. Let me know if you need…anything." He laughed at the look on the other's face.

Daisuke was curled up happily in a chair in a corner of the library. He had finished his homework and studies, and since he didn't feel like going out today, he decided to finish off the book he'd started two days ago and still hadn't finished on account of having been caught up in preparing for his eighteenth birthday. Swimming through fanciful tales of heaven, hell and everyplace in between, he failed to hear the door opening and he didn't realise that someone else was there before a shadow fell across the page. He looked up and almost curled up in shame. It was Cye, his face puzzled. "Why did you tell your father I wanted you an hour early, my lord?" Daisuke steeled himself for the lecture from the other as to why lying was not virtuous. He was not disappointed and after the Torrent Knight was gone, he wondered whether the other Element Knights ever had to put up with his 'mother hen' act.

Lord Kosuke was sitting in the garden, taking a break from the endless mountains of paperwork he had to deal with as head of Castle Shadow. There were accounts to be read and done, taxes to be paid and supplies for the castle to be bought. He'd invited young Lord Dark to stay at his place for a while longer, as he knew that the other had no mother and may as well have no father, for all he ever saw of the man. Everyone knew Lord Evan Mousy lived for his work. "Good day, Lord Niwa." He looked up and met Dark's sparkling amethyst eyes.

"Good day, Lord Mousy," he smiled in return. "I trust that you are enjoying our hospitality?" The other laughed merrily and bowed.

"Oh, very much so. You have a beautiful garden," Dark commented, casting an eye over the flowers and the classical statues sprinkled over the land. Kosuke nodded in return.

"How fares your father?"

"Wrapped up in his work as usual and with little concern for other matters." Kosuke nodded. "But his health is good and he remains fairly robust."

"That is good. And I trust that you yourself are well?"

"Why, Lord Niwa, I would not trouble you with myself," Dark laughed, but inwardly he was hoping that the other had no suspicions of him. As much as he liked to stir up trouble, he also did not like to get caught. The brunette nodded quietly, eyes serene as ever and not for the first time, Dark wondered just what went on behind those dark brown eyes. Despite his experience in the world of politics, however (he took care of more sordid matters as his father was usually too wrapped up in administrative matters to notice threats towards himself or his position), he was still taken by surprise by the next words that issued out of the other's mouth.

"How about you have a tour of the surrounding countryside with Daisuke then? I am sure you would enjoy talking to someone closer to your own age, and perhaps you can teach him a little about what it means to be of age." Dark was at first surprised, then delighted. Another opportunity for him to work his magic on the little redhead, and it was being presented to him on a silver platter! He was delighted.

After the refusals (which were purely tradition) and the other's insistence (also tradition), Dark was finally 'persuaded' to go with Daisuke the next day for a ride and a deeper exploration of the countryside.

* * *

1: One of the main ten Council members. The Council consists of fifty lords, but the first ten are the representatives and they handle the main body of admin as well as preside over the other forty. 

2: These are (according to a website I found) real glaive (Japanese: naginata) forms.

3: Cut: to ignore deliberately and/or spitefully. (Penguin Reference Pocket English Dictionary)

A note on 'Cye': The correct Japanese spelling may be 'Sai', but I'm going by the dubbed version and let's face it, folks; Sir Sai Mouri looks like a case of alliteration gone wrong. That's why I've decided to use the American version instead, as much as I may hate it.


	3. Chapter 3

**Advance 3:**

Disclaimer: Don't own DN Angel or Ronin Warriors. I own Emiko's tea party companions though.

Warnings: Nothing new.

* * *

"So tell me," Dark leaned over dangerously close to Daisuke, with whom he was seated. "What are the main attractions of the countryside?" The redhead forced himself to smile at the other, although in truth he would have rather killed the man with his glaive.

Setting down his goblet, the lord replied, "We-ell, there are some…uh…nice…hunting places…and, um, a village a little to the north. You must have passed it on your way here. And there's a…" He trailed off, seeing that Dark didn't seem to be paying any attention to him. Although part of him was indignant that the other wasn't listening, he was mostly glad that the purple-haired lord wasn't trying to do things to him.

"I'm sorry, did you say something?" Stunned, Daisuke looked up and crimson met amethyst once more. Dark smiled and continued to explain, "My deepest apologies; I was so caught up in admiring your appearance this morning that I am afraid I…" He let his sentence trail off meaningfully. The younger one flushed slightly and looked up at his companion, who merely smiled. Kosuke and Emiko were oblivious to the conversation taking place just a seat away from them, and for this Daisuke wasn't sure whether he was grateful or frightened. The next words to slip out of the heir to Blackwing's estates, however, frightened him to no end. "Oh; your father has kindly offered me a tour of the land around here, so I thought I would ask you so that I know a little of what to expect." Dark leaned in closer and smiled warmly at the other. "I'm looking forward to it. What time would you propose, honoured host?"

Daisuke squirmed slightly and fought the urge to whine. He was embarrassed, his mind was not full-functional due to the hour of the morning and he was close to running late for glaive practice. "My deepest apologies," he stammered out again and briefly noticed that he seemed to be using that phrase very often as of late, "but I am afraid I have lessons to attend to. My father wishes me to learn more and-and I do not know if I will have time anywhere in the near future." Emiko leaned over at this point and beamed at her son.

"Oh, don't worry Dai-chan," the lady said cheerfully. "Your father told me last night, but he didn't tell you because you had already gone to bed. Your lessons are cancelled once more, but to make up for this lapse you will have more homework. Your tutors will be leaving you homework in your room, and they expect to have it all completed by the time you see them next. Sir Mouri does, however, wish to speak with you when you have time for him." Daisuke wondered what the knight wanted to say; the lecture of yesterday was still fresh in his mind. Still, he resolved to study harder as penance for the lie, even if he had already apologized. "Today, you will go riding with Dark and show him our lands." All thoughts of penance and confession at the church were promptly dispelled; riding with the infuriating Lord Dark Mousy of House Blackwing was a punishment within itself.

As soon as Lady Emiko turned away to talk to her husband, Dark smiled sweetly at Daisuke. The redhead felt obliged to say something to Dark regarding their earlier conversation and blurted something out about how he did not know until a minute ago, and how he would be honoured to accompany the other. Dark waved off the stammered apologies and told Daisuke, "There is no need to apologise. If anything, I am the one at fault for bringing something like this up so abruptly." The redhead blushed once more before quickly rising; the meal was over and he needed to change for his ride with the other.

**Two hours later: **

"Open the gates, it's Lord Daisuke and Lord Dark!" The two aforementioned lords smiled and thanked the guards-they weren't that ill-mannered-and left the castle grounds for the day. They were dressed in plainer clothes than usual and resembled prosperous merchants. It turned out that Daisuke was known in the nearby towns and villages on account of his sneaking out as a child in the guise of a merchant's son and thus it would be easier to converse with the townspeople. Since the guards were used to this sort of thing happening-their king did it on a regular basis to keep up with current events and to keep an eye on the tide of public opinion-they did not wonder about the plain garb. Dark merely smiled when Daisuke explained his logic and then told the other of his own exploits in the towns near Castle Blackwing.

Daisuke couldn't believe just how…well, how courteously Dark was behaving towards him. His purple eyes glowed with a new light as soon as they had left the castle and his cool manners all vanished, to be replaced with a genuine smile. It was as though he had lowered his guard and become a completely different person. They reached the town within ten minutes and dismounted, choosing to lead their horses through the streets. Daisuke became the perfect guide, eager to show this new Dark all the places he normally visited. "We'll have to stable the horses first, though," he explained as they walked through the bustling streets. Daisuke received greetings from almost everyone, and many asked him where his friend was from. Dark himself received smiles from most of the younger girls and he waved to them all jauntily, flashing a wink here and a smile there.

Finally they arrived at their destination; a large stable. Without even staring, Daisuke walked his horse into the place and handed the reins to a hostler who dropped out of nowhere. "Good day," the redhead cheerily greeted the other. The gnarled old man nodded and smiled, revealing a mouth full of chipped or missing teeth. "Could you please bring my friend's horse and mine to the stables?" The hostler nodded, but didn't say anything. With a tilt of his cap and a tug of the reins, he took both horses. Daisuke looked at Dark and beamed. "Shall we?" The viscount nodded and both men walked out into the sunlit streets.

They were standing in front of one of the many snack stalls scattered around the town square. Since they had not brought lunch out-the cooks had enough to do without preparing a five-course picnic for them-they decided to see what bits of food they could find in the marketplace. Daisuke had insisted that the stalls served better food than any of the inns or eateries did, so here they were, juggling skewers of chicken and small paper bags of other foods. Dark was still not too sure about the quality, but since he was trying a different tack with Daisuke, he let the other show him around the town. Personally, there wasn't anything he hadn't seen before, but it was worth the hassle if it meant that he would have the redhead eating out of the palm of his hand more quickly. However, he was hard-pressed to repress a gag when one of the girls shyly gave Daisuke a flower. _How disgusting, _he thought. There was no such thing as love, only lust, and those who failed to understand this were all fools. He didn't have anything against them, but he did rather dislike their insistence upon romantic sunsets. Well, no matter. He would get what he wanted and that was all that counted.

"Dai-chan," he said after finally coming up with a good excuse to get the redhead away from the girl. "I thought you said you would show me the church?" He leaned closer and nuzzled the other's ear possessively, shooting a furtive glance at the girl. She frowned lightly at the open display of affection whilst Daisuke hastily pushed him away. Dark dramatically placed a hand to his forehead in a gesture of rejection and moaned, "My love, you have deserted me!" Daisuke blushed, hastily thanked the girl for the flower and her trouble, and hustled his older companion out the door.

The redhead turned to face his companion, ignoring the fact that he was still holding Dark's wrist. "What are you doing?" He hissed. "I'll get in trouble for this!" Dark laughed light-heartedly and waved his hand airily.

"Calm down, it's just a joke." At the redhead's incredulous stare, Dark continued sarcastically. "You know, when someone says something that's meant to be funny?"

Daisuke continued to stare.

"Never mind," the viscount sighed. At the crestfallen look on Daisuke's face, however, he forced himself to smile. "Come on, little one. You said you'd show me the church." Daisuke looked up at him and slowly nodded, red eyes brimming once more with hope. _He really is like a child, _Dark thought. _He just bounces right back._

They arrived at the church just in time for Mass. Although Dark was not a particularly religious person by nature, there was no way to wriggle out of attending the service; Daisuke had already entered the church and was sitting towards the back of the large structure. Dark took this time to admire the statues and the stained glass windows. Although he knew that this was a prosperous town, he hadn't thought that the church would be this beautiful. Aside from the austere, grey stone walls, the stained glass windows threw coloured shards of light across the pews and the altar. The statues themselves all held a sort of grey dignity. Settling down next to Daisuke, he sat through the entire ceremony and when Communion came around, he stared at the little wafer disdainfully. _How can this little thing be our-my-salvation? _He thought scornfully. _There is no God. _A glance around the place, however, revealed that he was probably the only one who thought so. He looked at the organ player, who had struck up a haunting tune. The choir was singing, and some of the people joined in. For a moment, Dark let himself listen to the words and the simple melody, smiling a little at the language. It was nowhere near what he was used to, but he guessed that had he been a better person, had he grown up in one of these houses, the wistful lyrics would have struck a chord in him too. He indulged in this fantasy for a while, but then laughed bitterly to himself. There would be no rest for him, no place to lay his head. There wouldn't even be a Good Shepherd to guide him home; there would only be a tall, hooded and faceless figure.

Mass ended soon enough and Dark sneaked a look at Daisuke. The redhead looked melancholy and his eyes were thoughtful. The purple-haired lord was struck by the other's radiant innocence in the afternoon sunlight, but shook his head shortly. _A shame no beauty can last, _he mused.

"Dark?" He looked down questioningly. "Is there anything else you want to see?"

"Huh…? Oh, what else is there?" He leaned down and gently traced the curve of the other's ear with his tongue, closing his eyes and revelling in the feeling of the smooth, warm flesh so like and yet unlike his own. Daisuke gasped softly and jerked his head away, but Dark moved with it.

"W-why are you doing this?" The redhead asked. "Why…why do you keep…acting this way with me?" Dark cringed; for a moment, Daisuke's soft baritone had become Ayako's shrill voice. _At least she enjoyed it, _he thought. _But then again, she would probably spread her legs for anyone who asked. _The crudity of his thoughts would have shocked everyone, but he didn't care. It was the truth, and it wasn't as though anyone would ever _see _his thoughts.

Dark pretended to think for a moment, then pulled away and smiled at the other winningly. "Hm…I don't feel like telling you here." At the look of thwarted frustration on the other's face, he laughed a little. "Are there any more interesting places to visit, or shall we just ride home?" Daisuke cast one look around the town before shaking his head, still unnerved by Dark's personality change.

They were sitting on top of one of the smaller hills, both men wanting to rest their horses. Dark looked at Daisuke, eyes dancing in the fiery glow that the setting sun cast over everything. "So, Daisuke," he asked, "What does it feel like, to have finally come of age?"

Daisuke was disconcerted. First the man was touching him, and next he was asking questions about his welfare? The redhead didn't understand what the other was getting at. "What are you trying to do?" He finally burst out. "I don't understand you!" Taken aback, the purple-haired lord vainly tried to hide a smile. He leaned closer to Daisuke and gently traced a finger along the other's face, even though he knew that his proximity was causing the other discomfort. A light flush appeared on the Niwa's pale features and Dark was sorely tempted to just take him right there and then. _So naïve, _he thought in amusement. _So oblivious. So sheltered. _He leaned in and brushed his mouth over the other's, unheeding of his whimpers or the smaller hands pushing at him, trying to shove him away. He continued lapping at those soft lips, shutting his eyes in delight. The taste of purity was always the best and this time was certainly no exception.

Daisuke didn't know what to do. Why was Dark kissing him? Wasn't it wrong for two men to kiss? He had seen his mother and father do that when father had just come back from a trip, but he had never seen them do it outside of the palace, or when they were with advisors. He struggled vainly with the other, but his larger weight was too much and Daisuke could only squirm in discomfort. He knew that he should feel disgust and shame for letting another kiss him, but frighteningly enough it didn't bother him. It was strange, but it wasn't unpleasant like the priests always said. He was, however, frightened and desperately tried to push the other off him. Finally, the other pulled away and looked at him, amethyst eyes dancing in the dying sunlight. The redhead quickly stood up, ran to his horse and rode back home in a fast gallop. The other just stood there, smiling whilst the wind whistled its lonely melody and the trees rustled in time with it. _Run, run as fast as you can. I'll not chase you, little one. You'll come back. _

Back at the castle, Daisuke was terrified. He was convinced that he was going to go to Hell after what he had just done. Sodomy. He had just participated in an act of sodomy. He hastily threw on a set of robes and rushed to the church, desperate to find some salvation. Halfway there, he stopped. He didn't know what the priest would say. What if, as soon as he confessed, the priest excommunicated him from the Holy Church? What if he denounced him to his parents? Daisuke balked at the thought and the feeling of shame only increased as he stood there, indecisive and unsure of himself. He looked around at the servants in the hallway. Why wasn't anyone shouting at him, calling him names, sneering at him? Why wasn't anyone coming after him with a weapon? He clapped a hand to his mouth and ran back, back to the safety of his own room, squeezing his eyes shut to avoid the stares of the servants. He didn't know what to do.

Dark handed Nyx's(1) reigns to the castle hostler, pushing a few silver coins into the other man's hand as compensation for any kicks he might receive from the stallion. Smiling at the mere thought of seeing Daisuke at dinner, he walked back into the castle, intent on changing into more suitable palace clothes.

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Lady Emiko was staying at Duchess Araschetta's for a week or so. Although she had no love for the woman, she didn't want to decline the invitation, as it would give rise to only about two hundred different rumours. She was seated at a table in the garden with the Duchess and a few of her other friends, or more accurately, protégés, all of whom simpered and fawned over the older woman in a sickening fashion. The Duchess herself was seated at a table, holding a delicate china teacup in her hands. The air was filled with the high-pitched voices of the girls, all vying for attention from their mistress. Only Emiko sat quiet. Until, of course, one girl asked sweetly, "How is Dai-chan doing, Emiko dear?" The lady was startled, but covered her surprise well.

"He's as fine as can be," she icily replied. The girl who had asked the question was Lady Noriko Zetsu of House Keran. She was here because she was scorned by other Houses and nobles, and she was desperate to come into her own. Emiko regarded the girl with cool eyes; thick, blue-black hair-most likely inherited from her Eoigonian mother-framed a pale heart-shaped face and flowed over her shoulders in a most becoming fashion. Two dark eyes peered about at everyone, mouth pouting when she met a man's gaze and smiling sweetly if she met a woman's. Those ruby red lips now parted and Emiko steeled herself for the next, inevitable question.

"Oh! Tell me, has he changed much since we last met?" Fool girl, pretending she had some sort of connection to the Niwas when all that put her in their ken had been her father's silk wagons!

Emiko raised her teacup, regarding the other over its curved rim. "No, I don't believe so." The Duchess cackled and the others tittered at Noriko's misfortune.

Araschetta leaned forward in her chair. "Lady Emiko, pray tell; do you have a fiancée in mind for him?" All the girls leaned closer.

"I believe I will let him choose. Daisuke has always been…mature in these matters," she coolly replied. Let them make what they would of that; Daisuke would not choose any of them.

"I hear Lord Dark is staying with you, is that true?" Another girl asked. A pair of large, grey eyes were her only distinguishing feature. Lady Emiko hadn't even bothered to remember her name.

"Indeed." All the girls broke out into delighted squeals once more and the brown-haired woman regretted accepting the invitation sorely.

A barrage of questions followed, but the real shocker was from the Duchess herself. "He's looking for a partner, is he not?" Affirmations were heard on all sides and Emiko wondered just what the woman was driving at.

"I hear he has a preference for pretty young men!" One girl laughed and for a moment Emiko was shocked. She had heard scandalous things throughout her life, but this comment, made in an obviously feeble attempt to curry favour with the others, rubbed her the wrong way.

"You'd better be careful, or else Daisuke may just become his newest conquest," another tittered.

That was the last straw. Standing up, Emiko set her teacup down and faced the flock of gossips with cool eyes. "He has no such thoughts. The last I heard, he was…" she looked around, pausing for dramatic effect, "…engaged." Little cries of dismay travelled around the party. Indeed, this was the truth. Dark had told Emiko of his engagement to Viscount Emery Ijaelf's daughter, a young sixteen-year old by the name of Della. Cries and demands to know who the second party in the engagement was were ignored as the lady swept up to bed after shooting all their hopes down.

There was a quick discussion as to who the girl was, but finally one said, "Well, just because he's engaged doesn't mean he won't indulge in other activities." The others agreed, and all were wondering whether Lord Daisuke Niwa was himself interested in members of the same sex. All present agreed that Lord Kosuke and Lady Emiko were too blind and were raised in 'the milk of human kindness''(2).

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Daisuke rolled over in bed, uncomfortable even though he knew that Dark was on a completely different floor from him. The young Viscount had, surprisingly, left him alone for a whole day and for the first time since he had heard Sir Mouri's warning, he pondered upon it more thoroughly. _Be on your guard around him, Daisuke, _the older youth warned. _I fear his interest in you may be dangerous. Should you need anyone to confide in…my lord, I fear I may be presumptuous, but…I would be happy to listen to your troubles should you need someone closer to your age to talk to. _Daisuke had merely nodded then, hoping that the other would leave him quickly.

Dark wasn't dangerous, Daisuke decided after a moment. He was merely…overbold. His advances towards him were frighteningly wrong, but at the same time the redhead couldn't bring himself to say anything, for to do so would be admitting to a crime himself. He shut his eyes, turning to try and fall asleep, but the memory of the other's kiss lingered. The youth forced himself to think, trying to devise a suitable explanation for the other's behaviour. He finally decided to ignore the kiss and act in a coolly distant manner towards the other for the rest of his stay. Suddenly, Sir Mouri's offer didn't seem so frightening after all. Resolving to talk to the other after his lessons the next morning, Daisuke fell into a fitful slumber.

Dark was pleased. He knew that the other had enjoyed the kiss more than he cared to admit, which was not a bad thing. Admittedly, he would have scared the skittish young colt, but that could easily be remedied. He would smile and talk to the other, and should he try to avoid him…well, there was always the training grounds, and Sir Mouri would undoubtedly know him as well. He smiled at the memory of the hilltop visit and idly wondered whether he would be able to manipulate Lord Kosuke into allowing Daisuke to join him in a 'further exploration of the land'. He returned to his book, satisfied with his day's work.

Daisuke tossed in the throes of a dream. He was sitting in church, watching the priest prepare the altar for Mass. Suddenly, a warm tongue lapped at his neck and he turned to see Dark. To his further shame and embarrassment, he was now sitting on the other's lap, the purple-haired lord's arms around his waist. Daisuke tried to force himself to stand up, but he was held fast by the circle of the other's arms. The priest was still absorbed in his duties and swept the floor, oblivious of what was going on in the front pew. Daisuke quickly turned to face the other, only to feel that mouth pressing onto his lips. He raised his hands to push the other away, but instead tugged him closer. The other moaned softly and suckled gently at his bottom lip, not allowing Daisuke to say anything. Crimson eyes widened and the redhead struggled, desperate to halt this act before the priest saw. A cry sounded from behind him and with a supreme effort he jerked himself away from Dark, only to meet his father's disappointed gaze. He felt a breeze brush across him and looked down to realise that he was now shirtless, and pressed to Lord Mousy's equally bare chest to boot. The priest was standing in front of him, holding out a cross, hissing for him to be gone. His father raised the long broadsword that he always wore at his hip and Daisuke shut his eyes before everything dissolved into a jumble of colours.

He woke up, sweating but pale. He was frightened. _What if…what if that dream was of things to come? _He looked outside and sighed in dismay as he heard the cock crow. A new day had begun, and he didn't even get a decent night's sleep. Had he known that Dark was utterly unashamed and unconcerned about his actions, he would have thrown a fit.

Breakfast was a quiet affair, as the absence of Lady Emiko rendered all the men silent. Kosuke was not naturally garrulous and his mind was fixed firmly on the documents he would have to read through after breakfast. His son was also tiredly picking at his plate, eating less than he normally would. Dark, on the other hand, looked around in interet, wondering what he could say to the other to make him pay attention, but not disturb Lord Kosuke. "Daisuke, may I have the honour of riding with you once more today? I feel that…" The redhead raised his hand.

"I apologise sincerely," Daisuke said, "but I have plans for today. Perhaps we can ride tomorrow?" Dark twisted the last question into something unfit for polite society, then smiled back at the other before replying in the appropriate fashion. In truth, he was already formulating a plan to find a private place for the two of them. He might not care about what others said of him, but he learned at an early age that reputation was all and that should anyone catch them, his engagement to Lady Della Ijaelf would be completely, utterly shattered. However, in order for his plan to work, he had to catch Daisuke early. Namely, at the training grounds.

Daisuke panted hard as he circled Sir Mouri warily. _Ask now, _he thought, _ask now! You won't have time to afterwards, ask him, now! _"Sir Mouri!" He blurted out, lowering his glaive and dodging the yari. The auburn haired knight also lowered his weapon and frowned.

"Is this lesson related?"

Daisuke looked away from the other's disapproving gaze. "No…but…um…you know…uh…" he took a deep breath. "In the library," he said, "You…offered…" He trailed off, hoping that the other would understand. Luckily, the Torrent Knight understood and nodded, smiling.

"Of course, Lord Daisuke. I would be honoured to." Bowing deeply, the blue-armoured man smiled at his pupil. "But, may we please discuss this after the lesson? Talking is one thing, and fighting is another. So." He raised the trident once more, and Daisuke prepared himself for the fight, his heart suddenly lighter than before.

Dark leaned casually against the training ground fence. Dressed in a simple white shirt and loose fitting breeches, he ran his hand over one of the large steel fans strapped to his waist. He saw Daisuke in the distance, sparring with a blue figure whom he assumed to be Sir Mouri. Someone stepped in front of him, bowing slightly. It was the man in red armour from a few days ago. His long black hair was tied back with a leather cord, but it didn't prevent the dark bangs from spilling into his sparkling blue eyes. Dark couldn't help but think that should Daisuke ever want to experiment with men, he would have plenty of choices available. "Good morning, sir. How may I be of service?" Dark looked the youth over and noted that he wore two katana strapped to his back diagonally.

"Please, call me Dark." The man took a step back, eyes suddenly wary and Dark knew he'd been recognized.

"You're the one who was bothering Cye," he said in surprise. "Why are you here? Are you looking for him?" Dark smiled and shook his head. The man quickly reached up for his two katana and unsheathed them quickly. Dark smiled disarmingly, despite having one blade pointed at his throat and the other at his gut.

"I'm just here for my morning exercises," he smoothly said. "Would you rather that I tell Lord Kosuke of my mistreatment?" The youth paled and lowered his blades, but his blue eyes were still fierce. "I'm looking for a sparring partner," Dark continued. "Would you care to…?" The challenge was clear. Frowning lightly, the man cocked his head to one side, obviously staring at his weapons. Dark wasn't surprised; most people were usually disconcerted to see a lord using weapons normally only made for assassins. "Why don't you tell me your name? I like to spar with someone whose name I know."

"Sir Sanada of the Wildfire," the other grudgingly replied. He bowed once more, a little more stiffly this time. Dark smiled.

"Shall we?" Sanada nodded slowly, then looked away, into the distance. "Is something the matter?" Dark asked, glancing over his fans to ensure they were in proper condition.

The knight turned to look at him once more, eyes blazing with contained irritation. "We need someone to keep track of the score."

"Can we not do it ourselves? Daisuke and Sir Mouri seem to be fine without one." He said this deliberately in order to goad his opponent further. The Wildfire Knight's shoulders tensed, but he did not say anything in response.

"Sir Mouri is teaching. He is merely sparring with Daisuke to teach him. We, on the other hand, are sparring to win." Dark nodded, rolling his eyes at the other's red back. He decided that as pretty as Sanada was, he would be too much work for only a night's pleasure. He looked at Daisuke swiftly, relieved to find that the other was being lectured for a particularly clumsy and dangerous move. At least the pretty redhead wouldn't be leaving for a while.

"Hashiba!" Sanada's roar brought the noble back to his senses. "Can you count for Lord Mousy, please?" The blue-haired archer appeared out of nowhere, still holding his golden bow.

"Ya nevah call me Hashiba," the other remarked in his twangy accent. "Got a good reason?" Sanada nodded stiffly and as blue eyes met amethyst, Rowen's eyebrows rose.

"Good mornin' ta ya, sir," he said, bowing. Dark ran his eyes over the archer's figure, noting that it was quite lithe and seemed agile. Without warning, though, the other suddenly collapsed on the ground. The Wildfire Knight seemed concerned for his friend; dropping to his knees, he quickly helped the other man up.

"Are you all right, R-Hashiba?" He stiffly asked. The dark blue-clad knight nodded, batting the other's hands away. Dark smiled.

"Please, don't restrain yourselves on my account. Besides, it would be nice to know the birth names of two such warriors as yourselves." Sanada flushed and turned away, trotting back to his side of the field muttering whilst the blue-haired man bowed low once more, shooting a worried look at his friend.

"Mah name is Sir Rowen Hashiba of the Strata. Ah think ya've met mah frien' already, mah lord," he replied. Dark smiled at him, hinting that he wanted the other knight's name, but oddly enough the other didn't respond. "Take yer places!" He called, looking at both sides of the field to make sure both men were ready. Dark got into his battle stance, fans at the ready as did Sanada, who whipped his swords out and held them at the ready. "Prepare!" Rowen barked, positioning an arrow to his bow and aiming at the sky. "Begin!" He loosed the shaft and it flew straight into the air. As soon as he heard the twang of the bowstring, Dark hurled a fan with deadly accuracy at his opponent. It missed and the red-clad knight bared his teeth in a grim smile as he continued towards the lord. However, he didn't realise that the fan would return to its thrower and was thrown forward by the impact of steel striking steel as fan met armour. Ryo fell to his knees as the Dark reached up to catch his tessen, smiling cockily all the while. "Halt!" Rowen yelled. He hurried onto the field and quickly checked his friend over before standing up once more. "Half point, Lord Mousy! Return!" Dark and Sanada returned to their places once more, the dark haired knight moving a little more slowly than usual. "Begin!"

The match continued and soon Dark found himself wincing. Somehow, the Wildfire Knight had managed to break through his defenses and now the lord was fighting hard, slashing with one hand and blocking with the other. His long-range fan attack was useless now; if he relinquished his hold on either one, he would lose for sure. Suddenly he felt a deadly coldness slide gently across his ribs and he looked down in shock to see that the blade had whispered across his flesh. He was shocked to see that there was no blood; apparently this wild knight was more skilled with his katana than he looked. Either that or the blades were blunt. "Halt!" Rowen called once more. He rushed over to Dark this time, checking the lord for injuries. "Half-point to Ryo! Match point! Return!" They repeated the ritual once more, coming together in a frightening clash of steel. They didn't realise they had an audience until Dark scored the last half-point needed to win and ended the match.

Daisuke was surprised and impressed to see the way Dark handled himself in a fight. He was at first sure that Ryo would win, seeing as the other had a better range. However, when he saw Dark throw a fan for the second time, he was amazed at the other's accuracy and the lethal grace with which he moved. Ryo was good with his katana; he knew that from long hours of watching the man practice and sparring with Sir Date; but Dark was extremely good with his fans. He effectively eliminated Sir Sanada's range by either keeping him too far away to do anything or by keeping him closed in tightly and restricting his movements. He stared in awe as Dark brought one fan down hard across the other's shoulder and placed the razor sharp edge near the bared throat.

Morning lessons went extremely badly for the young Niwa. He couldn't get the image of Dark, clad in only training clothes and fighting with his tessen out of his mind. Nor could he wait until lessons were over; he wanted to talk to Sir Mouri as soon as possible in order to get rid of some of the weight on his heart. As soon as Master Minamino let him go, Daisuke fairly dashed back up to his room, dropped his books off in a hurry and then rushed back down to the training grounds to where he'd promised to meet the older knight. To his dismay, Dark was still in the area, talking to Sir Hashiba and from the looks of it, trying to draw Sir Mouri into the conversation too. "I'm here!" The redhead cheerily announced to the Torrent Knight. "Good day, Sir Hashiba, Lord Mousy." Dark raised an eyebrow at this formal title, but didn't say anything. His expression darkened a little when Daisuke pulled the auburn haired knight away, but he continued to talk to the Strata Knight.

"Daisuke," Dark called deliberately loudly. "May I talk to you after…" He smirked to himself as the other knights looked at Daisuke, obviously revising their opinion of the tessen-wielding heir to Blackwing.

"Yes," Daisuke quickly replied, not wanting to feel the knights' curious glances at him. Then he cursed at himself for acquiescing; now the older lord would be after him like a duck on a beetle. "Um," he said, looking up at Sir Mouri. "Should we…?" The pale one nodded and smiled.

"Let's."

Rowen was disconcerted. He had heard about Dark's questions from Cye and personally, he didn't trust the other lord one bit. He didn't think Dark would try anything funny with the Torrent Knight, or any of them for that matter, but all the same…well, all the same, something was off about him. _Or maybe I'm just paranoid, _he thought. "Are you married, then?" Rowen jumped.

"Uh, pardon me mah lord, but ah nevah said anythin' about that," he quickly replied. Dark smiled.

"Engaged?" _What the Hell? _The Strata Knight thought incredulously.

"Ah'm sorry, ah did not say anything about that eithah," he told the other curtly. "Mah lord."

The purple-haired lord tossed his hair back, smiling at the archer. "Oh? That is odd; most women I know would die to have someone as exotic as you." He looked at Rowen and the knight wondered just what the lord was driving at. _If Daisuke has someone like this after him, it's probably best that Cye's with him. _The Torrent Knight had informed the rest of his friends that he intended to keep an eye on their lord until Dark left and at this moment, Rowen could not agree more with his friend. Still, it didn't stop him from blinking at the compliment. Dark continued to talk smoothly, drawing him in and finally finding his weak spot: books. The pair discussed the finer points of literature and when Dark invited him up to his chambers for a book, Rowen could not resist in spite of his earlier wariness.

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1: Nyx : Goddess of Night, Greek mythology.

2: 'milk of human kindness': Macbeth, Act 1 Scene 5, Lady Macbeth

Please tell me how you liked this fic so far, as the feedback means a lot to me and I'll be able to improve this fic even more. Review please, and thanks for reading!


	4. Chapter 4

**Advance 4:**

Disclaimer: I don't own DN Angel.

Warnings: Nothing that hasn't already been said in the beginning.

A/N: Thank you to those people who reviewed the fanfic thus far, I really am glad that you took the time to leave a note even if it was just, "Great." It's really appreciated, because at least I know that some people out there are reading this. Thank you so much guys; enjoy this chapter then!

* * *

"We won't be disturbed here, my Lord," Cye quickly told the other as they sat down in the tiny clearing.

"It's all right," Daisuke replied, sitting down and pretending not to notice the anxious look on the other's face. "You can call me Daisuke, you know," he told the other cheerfully.

Cye blinked and then sighed. Daisuke obviously didn't know much about the little, unconscious gestures that could easily lead to a scandal or his downfall. "My Lord," he said firmly, ignoring the disappointment in Daisuke's eyes. "What do you wish to discuss?"

Daisuke took a deep breath, still unsure of how to proceed. In a bid for time, he told the other, "You mustn't tell anyone else of this," he softly said. Cye immediately nodded, intending to serve his lord in any way possible.

"I…I don't know what's wrong with me," Daisuke finally said after what seemed like an eternity to both of them. Cye frowned lightly.

"What do you mean, my Lord?"

"I don't know what to do," the other whispered. "I don't know what Dark-Lord Mousy-wants from me! He says things that he shouldn't say, and behaves as though he is courting me, although in a most distressing fashion. He keeps…touching me…and it's uncomfortable," he continued. All the things he'd longed to say ever since Dark came burst out of him as he poured his heart out to his glaive trainer. Cye inwardly winced as he heard Daisuke's tale, now knowing for sure that the older lord had set his sights on his student.

The Torrent Knight let Daisuke talk, showing through his body language that he was listening. When Daisuke finally stopped and leaned against a tree in exasperation, Cye carefully ventured to say something. "My Lord," he said softly, "May…may I offer you a piece of advice?"

Daisuke looked at his trainer hopefully. "I was hoping you could offer me some help," he softly said. The other man smiled cheerfully.

"Oh, all right then," he laughed. Then his expression turned serious. "Be careful with Dark."

The crimson-eyed lord blinked. "Uh…I'm sorry…but I think I figured that much out for myself," he couldn't help saying. Sometimes, Sir Mouri's habit of stating the obvious could be just a little too much.

"Oh no," The other laughed, holding his hands up. "I'm just reminding you, my Lord. You should also try to stay with other people; I'd be happy to let you stay over with one of us should Lord Mousy prove to be extremely persistent. If my Lord requires it, of course." The pale knight turned pink, remembering just how the older man had talked to him. Indeed, whilst he already had a…lover of sorts, he had to admit that the purple-haired lord was very handsome.

Daisuke looked up at Cye shyly. "You mean I could stay over…at your quarters? Won't the others mind?" The Torrent Knight smiled cheerfully and shook his head, explaining that the others would not mind either, seeing as most of them had already met Dark, and agreed that he was not someone to be trusted.

"Daisuke," Cye carefully asked, "Be careful that Viscount Mousy does not catch you alone. It would be a most…distressing situation. And if he molests you in any way, please tell me or one of the other Element Knights. We will gladly help you." The redhead stared and then thanked the older man profusely, even going so far as to hug the other.

The young lord hesitated for a moment before looking up shyly at Cye. "Um, Sir Mouri," he carefully asked. "Would it be all right if…if I just stayed on the training ranges with you then? I mean, you're not obliged to let me, you can say if you're busy," he quickly added, "but…it's just that it'd be safer around you, I think." At first, the knight was tempted to say no, for fear of incurring the wrath of Daisuke's father, but then he slowly nodded. The look on that innocent face was just too irresistible, and besides, Lord Niwa would be even angrier should Daisuke fall prey to Viscount Mousy's advances.

**Dark:**

Dark sighed once more and rolled out of bed, ignoring the pale figure beside him. He delicately picked his way to the small enclosed space, normally used for bathing, and carefully cleaned himself of the sweat. A rustling of sheets told him that his partner was now awake and he smiled at the memory of exploring that smooth skin. Hopefully this would allow him to get through the protective barrier that the Element Knights had formed around Daisuke. "Rowen," he called lightly. "Would you like to join me?" Through the thin screens that covered his frame, he could see the blue-haired man's silhouette moving hastily, obviously picking up clothes and armour. Dark walked out, smirking at the image he knew. "Won't you stay a little longer, sweet knight?" He purred as he stalked over to the other. Five minutes later, he was once more on the bed with a whimpering lapful of Strata.

Rowen stared at the walls, the paintings and furnishings of the room mocking him. He was all too aware of the warmth behind him, and who the source of that warmth was. He knew that he was in trouble now; the manipulative viscount had managed to bed him within the first two hours of their meeting. He swallowed hard, not knowing what to think anymore. What if the others thought he was betraying them? What if they rejected him and cursed him, like some of the people back home had done when they saw his hair? Biting back a sob-boys didn't cry, much less knights-he slowly moved through the castle, back to the training grounds. He prayed fervently that the others would not ask about where he had been for the better part of the afternoon.

The purple-haired aristocrat watched the Strata Knight leave his quarters, smiling a little at the other's obvious distress. He knew that it would only be a matter of time before the other crumbled and Daisuke came to his arms, probably with the notion of saving his knight. Now, all that was left to do was hope that he did not receive a summons from the old man to return home, for he knew that the Niwa clan would not mind him staying for a little longer in their castle.

**Daisuke: **

Daisuke sighed as he pulled off his clothes and changed into his nightshirt. He wondered briefly where the viscount had disappeared off to; he was conspicuously absent at dinner tonight. Although Daisuke would not miss the man, he was concerned that the other might have met with some misfortune, perhaps whilst out riding or whatever he did to while away the hours in the castle. Shrugging the thought off, Daisuke slid into sleep. After all, what business was it of his if the man wanted to spend the night in his chambers?

**Next morning:**

The sound of well-crafted silverware and pewter hitting the cold, unyielding stone floors in Castle Shadow echoed through the entire building, a serving maid's distraught gasp following shortly after. Dark rolled over in bed and cursed the infernal racket that the rest of the servants raised, some reprimanding the miscreant and others cleaning the mess up. The cacophony of voices and footsteps continued for a little longer before slowly dying down, much to the viscount's relief, but he found that he could no longer sleep any more. Letting out a string of colourful curses, not all of them Aeylvenian, he crawled out of the warm comfort of his bed and headed for the bathing area, shivering all the while.

Daisuke shot up out of bed with fright as soon as the sound of falling silverware reached his ears. Sighing as he realized what the source of the noise was, he hoped for the hapless servant's sake that nothing was broken, and returned to sleep. After all, he had stayed up later than usual, talking to the Element Knights. Although they were supposed to be his bodyguards, assigned to him from birth, he had never realized just how little he knew about them. Luckily, all of them seemed to look upon him as a younger brother immediately, and Kento and Ryo had immediately taken to calling him 'Daisuke' upon hearing of his preference for the use of his birth name. However, both Sage and Cye insisted on called him, 'My Lord', something that Daisuke wished he could change. After all, it wasn't as though anyone ever called him by that title save for the servants he didn't talk to on a regular basis. Wincing at the brightness of the sun outside; he knew he would be soon late for breakfast; he rushed over to the basin in the corner and hastily washed himself.

"Good morning, Lord Niwa." Daisuke froze at the warm, almost too intimate tone in those few words.

"Good morning, Lord Mousy," he politely replied, smiling at the other. The purple-haired lord's eyes flickered darkly for a moment before the man shut his eyes, an enigmatic smile playing around the corners of his mouth. Before Daisuke could do or say anything to the contrary, the man gently lifted his hand to his lips and kissed it. The crimson-eyed teen blushed, so stunned that he allowed himself to be led into the dining hall like a lady. He even missed the giggles and infuriating smiles of the servants as they passed by.

Pulling out a chair for Daisuke, Dark smirked to himself as the other sat down distractedly. Seating himself next to the other and noting that Lord Kosuke was only present in body and not mind, the amethyst-eyed viscount leaned over to whisper softly into Daisuke's ear. "Daisuke," he chided the other softly, "how many times have I told you? Call me Dark," he purred, dragging his tongue up the side of the younger man's ear before pulling back.

The redheaded young lord's fists clenched in his lap, but he was unable to do anything for fear of attracting attention. Settling for what he felt to be a particularly venomous glare at the man beside him, Daisuke shoveled a large forkful of ham into his mouth. He forced himself to ignore Viscount Mousy's actions, even when the man went so far as to placing one hand on his lap. The teenager nearly choked at this point, but with an extraordinary display of will forced the food to slide down his gullet, taking a hasty swig of wine to chase the lump down.

Daisuke mournfully reflected that perhaps stuffing himself into silence was probably not the wisest course of action as he swallowed hard and tried to dodge Sir Mouri's yari at the same time. His breakfast sat like some large, painful lump in his gut, jumping around every time he moved. The Torrent Knight sighed as he 'stabbed' Daisuke for the fifth time in three minutes and lowered his weapon. "You can't continue like this, my Lord," he lectured the other sternly. He walked over to the fence and placed his trident against one of the posts before walking back towards Daisuke. "We will train in unarmed combat today, then," he continued. The redhead was once more tempted to burst into tears at the disappointment in his trainer's voice.

Dark wandered through the castle grounds, stopping to admire the plants here and there. The lilies in particular caught his eye, their unique purple colour revealing that they were from Roshin. _Amarkisan Lilies, _the viscount thought. _The most expensive species, and the hardest to grow. _He smiled wryly as he remembered that lilies were also a symbol of purity, and made a mental note to pluck a few of them after his stay here. After all, he was certainly taking purity away with him.

Daisuke did not, much to Dark's disappointment, appear all day. The young lord had obviously concealed himself somewhere safe, somewhere Dark would not think to look. However, being well-versed in the art of hiding himself, the purple-haired lord noble was able to track the object of his affections down; namely, in the hay loft. Interestingly enough, the stablemen merely gave him knowing smirks before returning to take care of the castle's beasts of burden.

As expected, his prey was wedged comfortably into a corner of the loft, the reds and browns of his clothing standing out from the golden straw. His book bag lay next to him, thick tomes spilling out of its gaping mouth. Daisuke was scribbling something down on a piece of parchment, obviously concentrating on his work. Smirking, the amethyst-eyed lord let his shadow fall over the other and waited for a response.

Ruby eyes looked up, then widened in dismay and shock. "L-Lord Mousy," he choked out, one hand coming up to gently rest over his heart.

"Shh," he hushed the other. "Miss me?"

Daisuke's eyes widened in indignation and he would have let out a startled squawk had the other not swiftly leaned down and pressed their lips together. As it was, he let the sound out into Dark's mouth, the older viscount swallowing the sound. The lord tried to squirm away, but he was firmly pinned down by the other's larger weight and strength, and all he could do was lie there in shock as the other's tongue explored his mouth. Surprisingly, it felt…good, especially when Dark ran his hands up and down his sides in large circles, rubbing gently as though to calm him. The other finally pulled away, breathing hard, eyes glowing in the dimly-lit loft.

"Come now, pretty Daisuke," he whispered, leaning down harder on the other when he tried to get away, "It's no fun playing by myself." His voice was husky, the younger one noted, turning his head away to try and bury it in the prickly hay beneath him. His book was pressed uncomfortably between their bodies, the cover digging into his ribs, whilst he was sure that the parchment he'd been using was squashed into a crumpled ball somewhere. He swallowed hard, desperately trying to form words that wouldn't come out.

As though taking his silence for an answer, Dark leaned over and began to lap at his jaw line, nipping and suckling playfully. _I won't say anything, _Daisuke promised himself desperately. _I'll wait until he's off guard, then…_he didn't know exactly what he was waiting for, but he hoped that the opportunity would come soon However, all thoughts of leaving flew out of the proverbial window as Dark latched onto his pulse point and began to suckle at it vigorously. Daisuke jerked up in response, whimpering softly and hastily clapping a hand over his own mouth once he realized the sound he'd made.

Just as he was starting to feel hot all over, the other pulled away, smirking. Daisuke could see the smug, satisfied expression on Viscount Mousy's face as the man licked his lips slowly and deliberately, one long-fingered hand trailing down his neck to gently caress himself. The other gasped, red eyes wide, then hastily bolted. As Daisuke shot past the two stable hands, running hard to a place he didn't know. Up in the loft, Dark smiled and looked at the forgotten books, one with its cover dented. Picking them all up, he sauntered out casually, winking at the stable hands as though to imply that he had gotten what he wanted. In a way, he had. Life was good, Dark decided. He was bedding one of Lord Niwa's bodyguards, and Lord Niwa himself was certainly starting to crumble. He shuddered in pleasure at the mere thought of all the things he could teach the younger man about carnal pleasure. His dear friend Count Maxwell would be _so _jealous; he'd certainly praised the youngling's beauty to the heavens above. The last he'd heard, Sir Yuy had been bedridden for three days after the party, due to a 'sudden ailment of the body'.

Daisuke bolted past the training fields, past the library, past the room that commanded a full view of the hills and forest that he liked to sit in when he needed to think. He rushed into his room and slammed the door, panting for breath, eyes wide. A trembling hand slowly reached up to gently touch the spot Lord Mousy had enjoyed laving at so much and a small whine burst forth from his lips as he sank to the ground, trembling. _What have I done? _

**At dinner:**

He wanted to laugh at the flustered look on Daisuke's face, and the way the other made sure he was at least five feet away from him at all times. He loved the way the other kept looking at him as though he were a particularly dangerous animal, and he loved the look of uncertainty tinted with a miniscule spark of lust in his prey's eyes. The crowning glory of it all, though, was that the man sported a very large, very visible mark on his pulse point; a mark of his day's…activities. Dark smiled sweetly and ran his pale fingers over the identical spot on his own neck, smirking at the redhead who promptly blushed and turned away.

The meal passed with Daisuke in a constant state of tension. He was so wound up by the other's mere presence that, in fact, he managed to spill the contents of his goblet over his father's documents; a deed that earned him a fearsome glare and a growl from the usually mild-tempered man. Frightened and embarrassed, the redhead fled to the relative safety of his rooms, fervently praying for deliverance from this torture.

"Lord Mousy, is there something wrong?" Dark's smile slid greasily off his face, but he quickly regained his composure.

"No, my Lord," he replied respectfully.

Dark eyes regarded him sternly and finally the other man murmured, "Fine," before returning to his papers within minutes. The purple-haired viscount breathed out a quiet sigh of relief and focused on the meal, intending to finish eating so that he could go and bother Daisuke some more. He briefly wondered whether Lord Kosuke knew of his true intentions, but then dismissed the thought immediately. The man was oblivious to the world around him, and probably would not notice if a dragon landed on his castle.

Apparently any semblance of order during the evening meal disappeared as soon as Daisuke had left the room, for even when it was clear that Lord Kosuke had finished eating, he did not stand up and allow the others to leave, but instead continued to read his blasted papers at the table. Dark, not wishing to appear rude but wanting to leave, finally placed a hand on the other's arm. "Most gracious host," he spoke as formally as possible, "By your leave, we," he gestured at everyone else, "will leave the table." Lord Kosuke started slightly and blushed before quickly standing up and rushing off. For a moment, Dark smirked as he imagined Daisuke in the same position someday, somewhere, with his wife screeching at him like some devil's harpy. Humming merrily, he too exited the Hall.

**Daisuke:**

The redhead curled further into the chair, snuggled up with one of his favourite books. Although it was written in an ancient form of Jhurian, he didn't find the characters difficult to read, thanks to Minamino's solid teaching skills. Immersed in a world where people sat in machines made of some sort of metal called 'steel' and twisted a wheel to direct the whole contraption, he didn't hear the door open, and he certainly didn't feel the draught on his face until someone joined him…in the chair.

"Guess who?" The redhead scrambled away and turned surprised eyes on the wildly smirking heir to House Blackwing. The man smiled almost sweetly at the other, eyes glinting slightly, then leaned forward so that his head was nestled just below Daisuke's, but the lower part of his body was still on the arm of the chair. "Mm," he purred lightly, "I'm surprised you didn't cover it up."

"Wha…"

"This," Dark traced the mark he'd made earlier in the after, only to have his hand slapped away and feel small hands pushing at him. The other pulled back as much as he could to fix the amethyst-eyed lord with as much of a glare as he could muster up. Of course, he didn't know that he actually resembled a bristling kitten to the other.

Daisuke scowled, completely perplexed and frightened by the small part of his mind that replayed the incident in vivid painter's colours over and over again. "What are you talking about?" he asked snappishly. "There's nothing there." To his confusion, the other burst out laughing, the vibrations moving not wholly unpleasantly across his chest.

"Oh, my," the viscount gasped out between bouts of laughter. "Oh, heavens above…oh…"

As quick as a tiger, he sprang up and swept Daisuke into his arms. "Come, my delicious lordling," he whispered huskily into the blushing redhead's ear. "Let me show you."

That was how Daisuke found himself in the viscount's chambers, staring in horror at the mirror. _I was walking around all this time…with this? _Words failed him as he watched his now-trembling hand slowly move up to touch the mark. Worst of all, the only way to hide that area would be to wear an especially high-collared uniform; something akin to what the Royal Guards wore. Either that, or walk around in hot plate armour all day. "Don't you like it, beautiful Daisuke?" Dark whispered into his ear, a hand snaking up to cover his smaller one. "You didn't seem to mind the afternoon."

With a muffled shriek, Daisuke bolted for the door, only to be pinned to a wall. He briefly wondered how the other managed to move so quickly before he felt hot lips over his mouth once more. He struggled, but for some reason his body only shifted slightly. Lord Mousy moaned hotly and pulled away briefly, only to return to lap at his lips repeatedly. Daisuke whimpered softly as nimble hands moved lightly down his sides, eyes flying open in shock briefly as the other's tongue slipped into his mouth. He didn't know what he was feeling; no book had ever described anything quite like this. At least, not the ones he'd read, and certainly not the ones Master Minamino had given him to study. He shifted against Dark's mouth, trying to emulate the other's actions with his own tongue. However, that buckle kept nudging against him and Daisuke reached down to shift it carefully, not even thinking of leaving now despite the wrongness of the whole situation. When his hand reached the buckle, though, Dark let out a heavy groan and pressed his tongue further in as though trying to penetrate his mouth even further.

The two broke away, gasping for air. During this 'break', Daisuke's brain finally caught up with the situation and he stared in shock at where his hand was resting. The redhead's foot jerked up out of instinct as he retracted his hand, and he rushed out of the room, leaving a breathlessly cursing viscount crumpled up in a pained heap on the floor.

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Ugh…I think I'm teetering on the edge of writing a bad smut scene (not lemon, just…not that great for younger readers). I really, really hope you enjoyed this chapter and please, (shamelessly begs) please do leave reviews, as they mean a lot to me. I don't mind if you give me constructive criticism, just no flames and then, 'This is not a flame' at the bottom because those annoy me. Alternatively, you can also tell me how much you adore me and how you'll shower me with millions of reviews from now on because I've revolutionized your life…but we all know you're not going to do that anyway. So please, leave a review and I don't mind if you toss ideas at me; they're always welcome. Review please, and thanks for reading!


	5. Chapter 5

**Advance 5:**

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the animes used here, predominantly DN Angel.

Warnings: Nothing that hasn't been said already.

A/N: Hey there! Thank you very much for staunchly supporting this fic if you managed to read up to this chapter, and I sincerely hope that you're enjoying yourself. I know that the story's probably a little slow, but please bear with me as I'm trying to make it somewhat true to life, and in the Middle Ages you'd be lucky if you got to the nearest village in three days. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter, and thank you for supporting me this far.

* * *

Daisuke reached up to gingerly touch the scarf around his neck as he gazed at himself in the mirror. Having just finished glaive training, he remembered the look on Sir Mouri's face when he saw the black scarf around his pupil's neck. A blush crept over his cheeks and he hastily gathered his books, dashing off to the library to meet Master Kakeda. 

_Letter from Viscount Dark Mousy of House Blackwing to Count Duo Maxwell of House Deathscythe. Sent on the sixth day of June, in the Year of our Lord 1639._

_My dear Count, _

_You did wax poetic about Daisuke upon the night of his 18th name day, and I must say that it was easy to convince my father to allow me to deliver his regards and a gift to the Niwas in lieu of showing up at the ball. I was welcomed with open arms (if there is one thing Lord Kosuke and Lady Emiko are, it is hospitable) and I have been invited to stay for a month. It has been three or four days since I have arrived now, and yet boredom has not seized me in its grip. _

_Daisuke Niwa, of course, is my chief source of amusement. He is, as you described, absolutely charming and simply stunning to look at. He is naïve beyond belief and had I not met Sir Yuy before you took him to bed, I would not have believed it possible that such a tender virgin could still exist in such a world as we live in. One look at him aroused my deeper passions and I currently occupy myself here by…shall we say, teasing him? 'Tis an ignoble pastime, I fear, but one that is like fighting in a battle; once started, cannot be stopped without considerable effort on the behalf of both sides. He, too, has desires; they were what allowed me to do what I have done so far, and his reaction to the mark I left on him was most enjoyable. I believe it was even more vehement than Sir Yuy's when you bestowed one of its ilk upon him. I daresay he nearly jumped a metre off the ground when he saw himself in the mirror, but at the same time he enjoyed the process very much._

_I could tell you of my many adventures with him, but rest assured that he has not lost his virtue yet. At least, not to me. I wish to make him come to me, not vice versa. I do not care for taking one by force; there can only be pleasure when both parties consent. Such an action is for the low and vulgar, not for one such as I. In any case, I think that when Daisuke does come to me, it will be a most…enjoyable experience. I hope Sir Yuy is in good health, as I shall not be back for quite some time. I must go now; I believe that Daisuke has just finished his lessons. Please give my regards to your family and of course, Sir Yuy. Adieu, and may fortune be with you,_

_Viscount Dark Mousy, House Blackwing, son of High Lord Evan Mousy. _

He scowled and fanned his hand over the parchment quickly, hoping that the breeze would help to dry the ink more quickly. He did not want to miss Daisuke and lose him to those Element Knights, who as of late had seemed to be forming even more of a protective circle around him. Dark briefly wondered whether one of them would soon start trailing Daisuke, but then dismissed the notion. The redhead was, after all, just a little too innocent for court affairs. Besides, such looks and such a disposition in one person could hardly fail to win anyone over.

Dark thanked the stars above that he just happened to be passing by Daisuke's door as the young lord walked in, clutching an armful of books. The pile swayed precariously as the younger desperately tried to balance all of them and open the door at the same time. The purple-haired viscount smiled and lifted three or four heavy tomes off the top of the pile, gallantly pushing open the door for the younger lord, who staggered in and dropped the whole stack onto the thick rug.

"My, my, a scholar's life is not an easy one, is it?" Dark laughed as he placed the books on the large desk near the window. He quickly walked back over to where Daisuke was crouched on the floor and helped him to pick up the books. He ignored the way the younger lord shifted uneasily away from him, turning red every time their hands brushed whilst trying to pick up the same book.

After the mess had finally been cleaned up, Daisuke shifted uneasily, not knowing what to do next. He didn't want to stay alone in his room any longer with the viscount by himself, but at the same time he could not see any way out of the situation. He cautiously eyed Dark, only to find that the man was eyeing his scarf. An appreciative little smile danced around the viscount's lips and Daisuke felt himself flushing, hands reaching up as though to hide the scarf from the other man's view.

"Do you have anything in mind for today?" Dark mildly asked, eyes still dancing with mirth.

Daisuke fidgeted nervously under the other's gaze, heat slowly creeping up the back of his neck and stretching out towards his ears. "My deepest apologies, Viscount, but I am quite…busy today." He bowed quickly. "I wish to…"

He never did get to finish his sentence, because within three strides the other had already crossed the room and was now looming over him. Daisuke inhaled deeply, forcing himself into a semblance of calmness. "Viscount Mousy," he said, hoping that his voice did not sound an octave higher, "May I inquire as to what you are doing?"

Dark couldn't help it anymore, He pulled Daisuke to his chest and held him there gently, noting with satisfaction that at least Daisuke did not try to do him bodily harm, unlike the last time they had been in such close proximity. He gently rested his head atop Daisuke, fully aware that they looked like lovers in an embrace. "So haughty," he murmured amusedly into thick red locks.

Daisuke growled something unintelligible into Dark's shirt, squirming uncomfortably almost like a young, restless child coddled by its mother. Unsettled by the purple-haired lord's grip on him, he finally settled down, standing there still, praying fervently that the other would not do anything unorthodox or sinful. _Please, _he prayed feverishly, _I'll do anything. Lord, I don't mean to do this, I'm not committing the act of sodomy am I? Please forgive me, God, I don't want to participate in this act, I don't know what to do…_Thoughts whirled around in his head, melding in with the prayer. Sir Mouri's advice came to mind as well as Ryo's cruder addition, but he didn't think that kicking Dark again would be advisable.

"Shh," the other whispered into his hair, one hand slowly drifting down and wrapping around his waist, fingers gently pressing into the small of his back like some form of fine massage.

Daisuke slowly looked up at the other's sharp features, taking in the thin nose and the high cheekbones, as well as the wild look that the other man's hair lent to his features. "I don't understand," he whispered. "Why…?"

"Mm." Then a pair of warm lips descended upon his and Daisuke's eyes widened in surprise. Dark's grip tightened slightly and the redhead, much to his dismay and discomfort, found himself forced to stay still. He trembled, afraid of what might happen should a servant or someone knock on his door; after all, Master Minamino did come up to his chambers now and again to give him more homework or assign another book to read, and nowadays it wasn't odd for Sir Mouri or one of the other Element Knights to visit either. As though in response to his thoughts, a knock sounded through the room.

"Lord Daisuke?" Daisuke froze in horror as Dark continued to kiss him, now moving over the side of his face to lap at his ear. A bolt of hot pleasure shot through him and suddenly he was reminded of the incident in the barn, the cause of the large mark on his pulse point. The redhead quickly pushed the other off, breathing heavily with eyes wide and red cheeks.

"Um, come in," he hastily called, hoping that his voice wasn't an octave higher as it was wont to become whenever he became flustered. The door slowly opened as though the person on the other side was afraid to enter, and Dark saw a familiar shock of blue hair appear. He smirked at the Strata Knight, whose smile vanished upon seeing Dark.

"Mah lord," the man said formally, bowing low and making a point to ignore the viscount. This only amused the purple-haired man more and he smiled lightly at the other knight. "I hope you ah-re well?" His accent became even more pronounced as he eyed Dark coldly.

Daisuke swallowed hard, wanting nothing more than to leave the room and go train with Sir Mouri, or even try to discuss a philosophical theory he'd just learned about with Sir Date, but he didn't know how to convey this to Sir Hashiba, who was, according to Ryo, 'the most oblivious person in the world'. "All right then," the other replied curtly. "Just checking." To Daisuke's dismay, he turned his back and shut the door once more. The redhead slowly turned to face Dark, moving cautiously towards the door as though he were facing a rabid dog.

Dark sighed and folded his arms, remaining still. He knew that Daisuke was somewhat curious already; his reaction in the barn and in his chambers the previous day had been testimony of that fact; but he wasn't ready to give up what he'd grown up believing in yet. Yet. The viscount smiled and extended one hand to gently cup the side of Daisuke's face, running his thumb over those soft lips. "I'd better go then," he mildly remarked. "Lest your dog come back too soon. It was a pleasure…being with you, pretty Dai."

With those parting words, he swept out of the room, leaving the puzzled and embarrassed Daisuke to his thoughts.

**Element Knights:**

Rowen shot a glare in response to Cye's reproachful look. Although he knew that he should have tried to get Daisuke away from the viscount, he couldn't help but feel that the Torrent Knight was getting just a little too caught up in the personal affairs of their lord. They were his bodyguards, not his nurses! "Daisuke's a big boy now," he snapped finally, annoyed at the silence.

"I never said he wasn't."

"Don't motha him then, yah hen!"

"There's nothing wrong with wanting to protect him," Cye pointed out. He didn't know why Rowen was so tense about the whole affair, but he knew that it could cause potential problems should anything more happen between Lord Daisuke and Lord Mousy in the future.

The blue-haired knight rolled his eyes and sat down in a chair, rubbing the cloth over his bow fiercely. "I don't see why you hafta interfere," he bluntly stated after a moment. "It's his affair, he'll have to learn at some point about what happens in life." Cye blushed lightly.

"But he doesn't have to learn about it through a man! He could have learned about it through books, through a talk, even through listening in when—"

"And just when is our dear little Daisuke Niwa going to listen in on a couple? He's so dense at times, he'd probably think that they were fighting! And furthermore—" Sir Mouri never did find out what 'furthermore' was, however, as Sir Sanada walked in. His blue eyes peered at the pair, sensing the tension, before he swallowed hard and tried to turn around only to be stopped by Sir Date.

"What's the matter, Ryo?" Rowen and Cye heard their blonde compatriot's voice ask calmly. "Is something amiss?" Now Torrent and Strata were united; as one they glared fiercely at Sir Sanada, daring him to say something. Feeling the twin glares boring into his back, the Wildfire Knight winced and hastily pushed past Sir Date, ignoring the sound of disapproval that slipped past the blond's lips. Lavender eyes turned upon the pair, cool and collected as ever. "Is something amiss between you?" Rowen shrugged and turned to focus on his bow once more whilst Cye ignored the quiet question. Sighing, Sir Date headed upstairs. If his friends weren't going to tell him, then he would just wait. He wasn't eager to push too hard and have everything backfire on him, after all.

**Daisuke:**

The first thing Daisuke noticed when he arrived at the training field was that Ryo was the only one outside, practicing sword forms. The redhead slowly approached the knight, his instincts telling him that something was not right today. "Good afternoon, Ryo," he smiled cheerfully.

The Wildfire Knight stopped and looked at him, smile wide as ever. "My Lord Daisuke, it is a pleasure to see you. I trust your day has gone well?" The younger man smiled politely up at Ryo.

"You can just call me Daisuke, you know," he cheerfully reminded the other, who laughed.

"Indeed," the other agreed. "Just as a greeting."

"Where are the others?"

Sir Sanada looked towards the house, eyes worried now. He sighed. "I think Cye and Rowen are having an argument, so I'm staying out here." Daisuke looked down.

"Oh."

The lord wondered whether it had anything to do with Sir Hashiba's stormy countenance, then blinked as Sir Sanada returned to the house. "Ryo!"

The dark-haired knight turned to look at him, smiling warmly. "Come on, Daisuke," he gently teased the other. "Work those muscles, you'll have to keep in shape for training tomorrow!" Daisuke laughed in response before huffing as he struggled to his feet trying to balance the tomes in one arm alone. The pair set off towards the large wooden structure, talking amiably as though they had been life-long friends instead of just knight and lord.

The door swung open once more, revealing that no one was in the main room save Rowen, whose nose was buried in a book as he was wont to do. "Good afternoon, Sir Hashiba." Daisuke greeted the other cautiously, not knowing how to behave with the Strata Knight. Blue eyes flicked up to glance at him before returning to the book. From behind him, Daisuke could hear Ryo sigh before the taller man leaned down to whisper something into his ear.

"He's been like this for the past few days. Trust me; he's usually a lot nicer."

"I heard that."

The Wildfire Knight straightened up. "Why don't you greet him properly then?"

"'E's not a baby," the other mumbled behind his book and Daisuke felt his face turning red. _Is this how my knights view me? _He thought in dismay. _As a child, unable to fend for himself? As a burden? A useless, _heavy _burden? _He felt a lump growing in his throat.

Meanwhile, Ryo had stormed over to talk to Rowen, and now the two were engaged in what looked like an intense discussion. Although Daisuke could not hear much of their conversation, he caught the words, 'Cye', 'Daisuke' and 'bloody viscount' a number of times, leading him to wonder just how much Sir Mouri had told the others.

Just then, Sir Date came down the stairs, supporting Sir Mouri on his shoulder. "Rowen, I think you should probably talk this over with Cye tomorrow," he told the blue-haired knight before noticing Daisuke. He carefully adjusted Cye's position, then bowed as low as he could without dropping the Torrent Knight. "My lord, my deepest apologies. How fare you?" Daisuke smiled and nodded politely.

"Very well, thank you. You can call me Daisuke, you know." He reminded the other for the fifth time since they had met. Sir Date merely nodded, eyes darting over to Cye. "What's amiss with Cye?"

The others did not reply and Daisuke felt the lump in his throat grow. _Are they coddling me, keeping things from me because I don't need to know? _"Is he all right?" Again, there was no reply. Rowen made an indistinct noise in his throat and returned to his book, ignoring the dirty looks that Wildfire and Halo bestowed upon him.

"He'll be fine," Sir Date finally said. He looked down at Sir Mouri with what could only be described as fondness and Daisuke, much to his shame and shock, wondered briefly whether they shared the same relationship as Count Maxwell and Sir Yuy did. He slowly walked forward, still supporting the other, then bowed once more before Daisuke. "My lord, as much as I would like to stay…"

"Move," Ryo bluntly said. The redheaded lord blushed and hastily shifted, smiling awkwardly at the blond. The pair moved out of the house, and Daisuke gazed after them, wondering. He then turned to Ryo and Rowen, both of whom were now locked in a glaring contest.

"Uh…Sir Hashiba?" He politely asked. Neither man moved. "Sir Hashiba?" He tried again. Finally, he decided to return to the castle. After all, it didn't seem as though he would find any solution to his problems, and with the way the two knights were glaring at each other, he would be lucky to have either of them talk to him.

However, Daisuke found himself unable to leave, for as he walked out of the house, he saw Dark, practicing in the training field with his two tessen. The redhead paused for a moment, then decided to return to the castle anyway as soon as he realized that he was changing for a guest.

"Good day, Lord Daisuke." Daisuke froze and then slowly turned around, starting when he realized that Dark was standing closely behind him. "How goes it with you?" He looked down at the thick stack of books the redhead was carrying, a smile playing about his lips. "Let me help you with that, Daisuke." He bent down and picked up a few of the books, laughing lightly at the other once more. "Goodness, your scholarly pursuits are enough to rival those of the court astronomer's, or even those of the philosophers of the Water Tower!" (1)

The redhead fidgeted slightly. "They're not!" He contradicted the other sharply. "Duchess Meighan no Amarekusa (2) and Lord Kwahfung de Kcairn (3) are the best philosophers in history! How could I possible compete with such figures as those?" He demanded. "I just like reading their works! How does that make me a philosopher in any way?"

"Oh, modest too. How becoming." Daisuke blinked at this clearly irrelevant remark and then gave out a squeak of surprise. For just as he had begun to follow the viscount back up to the castle, the other turned around and swiftly placed a kiss upon his lips.

_What if someone sees us? _Daisuke hastily tried to twist away, but for some reason he felt as though he were sealed to the other, in thrall under his spell. He stood there, Dark's lips pressed against his for what seemed like an eternity but was in fact only a few seconds. As the other man pulled away, Daisuke found that he wanted more. That fact, more than anything else, frightened him. Without another word, he ran up to the castle as quickly as he could. Dark just stood there, books in his arms, smiling quietly to himself.

Daisuke hauled the bucket of water up the stairs to his room, hoping that he wouldn't meet any servants on the way. He huffed and panted, trying desperately not to spill any of the precious liquid onto the floor in the process. His footsteps echoed through the dimly lit corridor. Many a time had the thought of just leaving penance until later, but now he was determined to carry it out. _Forgive me Lord, _he prayed fervently, _for I have sinned grievously. I have committed the act of sodomy against thy command. I acknowledge my sins, and beg humbly for forgiveness. Lord God, I devote this penance to you, in atonement for my transgressions. _He briefly wondered whether moving up the stairs would lessen the impact of the prayer, then decided not to dwell on it. He had the whole of the third and fourth floors to clean.

Dark sighed as he walked up the stairs to his chambers, still holding Daisuke's texts. He idly wondered whether the redheaded lord would come for them later, then sighed at himself for even thinking of such an inane question. After all, the younger prized his books more highly than most nobles did and would almost certainly go to any lengths to get them back. He leaned back in the large chair and opened a thick volume, listening for the familiar sound of Daisuke's footsteps.

**Daisuke:**

Daisuke straightened up slowly as he finished cleaning the stone floor. His knees ached from having been forced to bear his entire weight for an extended period of time, and his hands were wrinkled from being constantly submersed in water. Swallowing hard, he hoped that this would absolve him from part of his sins at least, for he knew that should he confess the full extent of his transgressions, he would surely be excommunicated. He sighed and looked despairingly at the tallow candle, which was now only a stump of melted wax. Sighing, he stood up and stretched a little, wincing at the pain in his knees and hastily pulling on a night-shirt. He rolled into bed and promptly fell asleep, exhausted from scrubbing the whole of the third floor and his own room. The pail of water and rags remained in a corner of the room.

**Dark: **

He was a creature of the night, and he knew it. Dark idly toyed with the sheets on his bed, musing over thoughts of the little redhead he wanted so badly as well as his loyal protectors. Hopefully Strata's actions and mood would affect the whole group, and they would not be able to function as one unit when the need arose, and hence Daisuke would fall into his arms. The viscount did not think that he would have to reckon with his little redhead's parents; after all, they did trust him, and he did not want to start any sort of fight with Lord and Lady Niwa. He mulled over how best to coax the younger man into his bed that night, only falling asleep three hours before dawn.

**Daisuke:**

Daisuke looked around the table, for once free from Dark's presence. Part of him was glad that the other was not around to harass him any longer, but another part of him continued to wonder just what the other would have done, had he let the viscount continue with his actions in his chambers that night. Daisuke's hand reached up to touch the spot gently, waves of guilt washing over his consciousness. Thankfully, the mark seemed to have faded just a little, and the redhead hoped that no one would ask any more awkward questions. Unfortunately, he couldn't help but feel as though the whole of Castle Shadow knew his business; he blushed fiercely when Sir Mouri frowned lightly at him as he came down to the training grounds, turned as red as a beetroot under Sir Date's cool gaze. After his lessons were done with, he silently thanked the heavens for saving him from Dark's presence; he didn't know what he would do if the older man confronted him in his current state.

"It isn't that difficult," Rowen protested against Daisuke's groans of dismay. "Look." He pointed at the star chart, drawing lines between the stars with the tip of his finger. "Theah's Orion, and that's his belt. There's the Pleiades, the Seven Sisters. And there's Ursa Major and Ursa Minor. Ya see?" Daisuke groaned in frustration.

"Why there? Why don't they just join them up randomly and then give them names?" he moaned. Rowen sighed and patted the other's shoulder awkwardly.

"Look," he finally said, unsure of how to proceed. As a child, he'd never had any problems learning all the different constellations and how they fitted into the intricate network of the sky. "How 'bout we go out ta look at 'em, and then yah'll undastand betta." At that point, Cye showed up at the doorway, his eyes smiling in approval of the Strata Knight's endeavours to teach Daisuke about astrology.

The younger lord's head darted up at the presence of the Torrent Knight, flashing a quick, warm smile at his trainer before returning to the arduous task of trying to identify the different constellations.

Just then, a knock sounded at the door. Sir Mouri, who had just been about to mount the stairs, immediately turned around and ran to the door, but Sir Hashiba reached it first. To Daisuke's shock, Dark stood in the doorway. The redhead immediately stood up, painfully aware of the mark on his neck.

"I was aware that Lord Niwa was in here?" Those striking amethyst eyes landed on Rowen. The Strata Knight stood there impassively, eyes wary. "It is good to see you again…Rowen." The blue-haired man stiffened sharply. Out of the corner of his eye, the archer could see Cye's questioning look, but he did not want to meet it. Dark took advantage of both knights' momentary distraction and sauntered in lazily, coming to stand directly in front of Daisuke. One hand reached up to brush the edge of the well-made scarf lightly before coming to rest on the redheaded man's shoulder.

Daisuke pushed away from the other, hand at his dagger already. However, his tone was as calm as ever. "Lord Mousy, I wish to know why you come seeking me."

With a careless shrug, Dark spread his arms open. "Your father wishes to see you. He merely told me to fetch you, as he saw that I was coming down to the training grounds. He paused before smiling amusedly. "It seems that in Castle Shadow, one does not need to have a servant carry a message or a summons. I must remember that. Come."

"My Lord, we do not wish to bother you any longer. I will escort Lord Niwa up to his father." This came from Cye, with the result that Rowen blinked, Daisuke stared and Dark merely smiled. He turned to face the Torrent Knight.

"That is all very well, but 'twould not cause me too much trouble. Besides," Dark could not help saying, "I am sure that you would like to…converse with…Rowen." At this point, Daisuke made a small noise in the back of his throat. For whilst Dark had been speaking, his hand had closed over the younger man's.

"Let go of me," he blurted out. Sir Hashiba immediately took a step forward, eyes cold. However, Dark was not intimidated by the look on the other's face and looking Strata straight in the eye, he said something that would shock everyone into silence. He did not care much for the consequences; after all, it was his word against a knight's, and the court would not dare scorn Viscount Mousy of House Blackwing's claim.

"You warmed my bed quite nicely, Rowen. I can only hope that you do as much with your other lovers." With those words, he swept out with a stunned Daisuke, leaving the Torrent and Strata Knights behind. He inwardly smiled at the look of utter horror on Sir Mouri's face, knowing that the Element Knights would now be too wrapped up in their own problems to take care of Daisuke.

* * *

1: Water Tower: One of the five Element Towers, which oversee all affairs practical and intellectual. The Water Tower concerns itself mainly with philosophy and the pursuit of knowledge, and houses the largest library known in the land. This Tower also handles educational affairs for the land, and is currently in the process of lobbying for free education for all. 

2: Duchess Meighan no Amarekusa: Born in 456 to a wealthy Amarkisand family, she was the first lady to take up the study of philosophy seriously. She studied in the Water Tower and was the first female to conceive 'independent thinking', that is, questioning age-old beliefs. As a result, she disproved many of Bellus' theories, which had until then been held in the highest esteem. Died in 493.

3: Lord Kwahfung de Kcairn: Born in 516 in Eoigonia.. He made astronomy an integral part of education and was the first ever to study wind patterns in the Forrush Desert, leading to the publication of his work 'North, South, East, West: The Four Winds'. His progressive thinking led to the creation of social welfare for many widows and orphans as well as the tolerance of other religions. Died in 556.

Done! All right people, you know the drill: please leave a nice review for me to happily read, because you know you love me. Thank you for reading up to this point, and I apologise for the long break in between chapters; it's just that I've been really busy lately and I just got back from China (squee!). I'm sorry if I made any glaring mistakes, so if there are any glaring errors I won't mind if you point them out to me. I hope you've enjoyed the story, and please, please leave a review for me, as it really does tell me that my work is being enjoyed by you. Thank you!


	6. Chapter 6

**Advance 6:**

Disclaimer: I do not own DN Angel. Nor do I own any of the other animes whose characters appear here.

Warnings: Nothing that hasn't been done already.

* * *

Daisuke trudged up the hill back to the castle, his stomach cold and heavy with a sense of foreboding. He was not disappointed as the other leaned in to give him a surprisingly chaste peck on the cheek. "Stop trying to run away, pretty Daisuke," he whispered against the younger man's neck. "It'll feel so good, just with me." Daisuke jerked away harshly, glaring hard at the older man and cursing his fair features for so quickly exposing his true feelings.

Dark smirked to himself as he continued to smile at the other. Drawing back a little as they approached the castle, he continued to smile unnervingly at his hosts' son as they entered the building and parted ways in the courtyard. The viscount smirked to himself as he walked through the gardens, once again stopping to admire the Amarkisan lilies. _Just a little longer, _he thought. The Element Knights were now gone from the picture, and he could now put his plan into action.

**Daisuke:**

Daisuke sighed in relief as he trudged up the stairs to his father's room, glad to be away from the unsettling man. Knocking politely on the door as he was accustomed to do, he waited for the other to notice. Upon hearing the muffled 'Come in," he slowly pushed the door open. His father was standing with his back to the door, hands locked behind him and looking out of the window, out over his lands.

"How now, Daisuke?" Lord Kosuke questioned. The redhead blinked and stepped forward, bowing low even though the other was facing away from him. "I hear you have been spending more time than you ought out of doors, away from your studies. Is this true?"

The younger one shook his head. "I…do not think so, Father," he replied evenly. Kosuke sighed.

"Daisuke, it is your duty to rule over this land well, and to aid the people to the best of your abilities. As such, you are expected to study and prepare yourself for this task. You are now a man, and as such are expected to take upon greater responsibilities. Do you understand?" Daisuke nodded shamefacedly, immediately resolving to apply himself to his studies with renewed determination.

"I understand, father," he whispered, bowing even lower than he had the previous time. The dark-haired man nodded, still looking out of the window.

"Good. See to it that your tutors do not come to me with complaints about your work any further." Daisuke nodded and turned to leave.

As he headed towards the sanctuary of the library, the redhead resolved to visit the Element Knights less frequently. He wanted to sort out his feelings about Sir Hashiba and Viscount Dark's liaisons, and he had a feeling that none of the knights, not even the usually friendly Sir Rei Fuan, would want to see him for a while.

**Element Knights:**

"What say you, Sir Rowen Hashiba of Strata?" Sir Mouri demanded. His pale complexion was flushed and his eyes were stormy, reflecting the fury he felt at the Strata Knight.

The youngest Knight eyed him coldly, blue eyes as cold as the night stars that he admired so much. "Is it any of your business with whom I choose to sleep with? It does not interfere with my work, and it certainly does not cloud my judgement; you saw that yesterday."

"I'm not talking about your blasted archery!" The Torrent Knight exploded. "I thought I told you that the viscount was after Lord Daisuke's virtue?"

"And how does this relate to me? I fail to see the connection."

"Your misconduct will shame us! What will we say to Lord Niwa if he should find that we have failed to protect Lord Daisuke? And how did you come to warm his bed? For shame!"

Sir Hashiba finally lowered the tome he was reading and eyed his brother-in-arms frostily. "Sir Cye Mouri of Torrent," he sneered. "Please write thine opinions in the book of thine heart. Such harsh words are as unbecoming to thee as fawning is to an ass. Shouldst thou wish to rebuke me for the choice of my partner, I would advise thee to first look at thine own bedfellow, and then speak. Nay; save thy retort; I would much rather hear it from Sage of the Halo." He gave a bitter laugh at the look of rage upon the other's features. "Be careful not to let that hot blood boil over."

The Torrent Knight flushed darkly in anger and embarrassment. "Very well," he said. "I shall take your advice. We will speak no further of this matter." The other merely ignored him and returned to his book. Sir Mouri hastily grabbed his yari and rushed out of the door, features still painted red and eyes wet with tears.

Upon the way out, he encountered Sir Date and flushed once more, remembering Rowen's taunt. Ignoring the other's questioning look, he fairly dashed out into the training field and began to perform his kata, imagining that Strata was on the receiving end of every blow. As he moved, tears ran freely down his face.

**Daisuke:**

He waded through the ancient text, quill scratching against the parchment as he laboriously deciphered the spidery handwriting. Frowning at a particularly smeared spot, the lord sighed and closed his eyes for a mere moment, the cool darkness a welcome relief from the now blazing sun shining through the windows. He sighed into the dusty silence of the library before delving once more into the text.

The sun continued its journey through the sky, and it was only when the last few red rays of light faded away that Daisuke realized that it was almost time for dinner. He heard a servant calling his name through the thick wooden door of the library, and realized that if his father had sent a servant after him, it must mean that he was extraordinarily late to dinner. In a panicked flurry of parchments, quills but thankfully not ink, he dashed out of the door and frightened the poor manservant out of three years of life.

Dinner was a tense affair, Lord Kosuke too wrapped up in his documents to notice the interaction between his son and his visitor. However, this tiny detail did not escape the servants' sharp eyes, and hence provoked deep discussion amongst those whose tongues were inclined to wag.

Daisuke slipped into the noisy hall and slid into his seat next to Dark, feeling distinctly uncomfortable in the older man's presence. At the other's greeting, he merely nodded and stared at his trencher, praying that they could begin eating and he would be spared from making conversation with the other.

**Fifteen minutes later:**

He was in agony. Dark's hand was resting quite naturally on his right thigh, gently petting him. Daisuke feared that at any moment, the servant coming up behind them in order to serve their food would see where Dark's hand was, and raise a hue and cry loud enough to bring everyone in the castle running. Worst of all, the violet-haired viscount seemed to have absolutely no shame, as his hand moved farther and farther upwards. It was only by kicking the other under the table quite viciously that Daisuke was able to stay the other's advances. "Daisuke, is something the matter?"

He let out a soft whimper, sweat rolling down his temples as he fought to keep his features and voice from trembling. "No, Father." He could almost _feel_ the smugness radiating off Dark even as he looked at Lord Kosuke, concern showing in his eyes.

"Indeed, Lord Daisuke." Dark's voice was warm and concerned, both of which made the younger one swallow hard. "You look a little…feverish." His hand, still resting on Daisuke's lap, squeezed gently. "Are you sure you're not a little…bothered?" His hand moved upwards and this time, the redhead was unable to stop him without drawing unnecessary attention to the events unfurling underneath the tablecloth. Daisuke gave his father a weak smile.

"I'm fine, father." He breathed out a silent sigh of relief when Lord Kosuke returned to the ubiquitous stack of parchment at his left elbow. Nevertheless, he resolved to tell Dark exactly what he thought after dinner. Even if it meant inviting him up to his personal chambers.

As though reading his thoughts, Dark turned and smiled at him, piercing amethyst eyes half-lidded and sultry. "I would love to," he murmured, leaving Daisuke wondering whether he had accidentally spoken aloud. Instead, he settled for a stiff nod, hoping that the gesture would convey cool civility. His stomach writhed in discomfort.

Dark almost wanted to laugh at the redhead's desperate attempt to appear composed even though it was clear that he was anything but. He wished that the mark was still there, and made a mental note to make it better the next time such an opportunity presented itself. Satisfied, he removed his hand from Daisuke's lap and returned it to the table, smirking all the while.

**Two hours later:**

Dark leaned casually against the doorframe, not caring that he was breaking one of the most basic rules of etiquette. "What?"

Daisuke swallowed hard, wondering how just two words could stick in his throat and choke his voice. "Come in." He knew that those two words would be like inviting a vampire in, but unless he wished to let the entire castle know the true nature of his business with Dark Mousy, he would have to talk with him behind closed doors.

The purple-haired noble sauntered in gracefully, seating himself on the bed and gazing at Daisuke with that intent, hot gaze until the redhead felt quite uncomfortable. He walked over to the door and closed it, the feeling of dread growing even as the door thudded shut. He turned to face Dark.

"Viscount Dark Mousy," he began as formally as he could, proud of the way his voice did not tremble. "I wish to ask…"

He was immediately cut off as the other somehow appeared in front of him with frightening speed. Intense amethyst met uncertain ruby as the other lord pulled him flush against his chest, voice slightly husky and amused. "Don't tempt me any further," the older man whispered against Daisuke's ear. He gently traced the outline with his tongue, causing the other to gasp in surprise. "Didn't your mother ever tell you?" Daisuke frowned lightly, flushing hard even as he tried to gather his now-scattered wits.

"Tell me what?"

A low laugh unfurled into the still, tense atmosphere of the bedchamber, and Daisuke could not help but wonder if this was why fair maids swooned over people such as the viscount and Count Maxwell. He could feel Dark's lips curve upwards into a smirk as he smiled against his neck, tongue once more snaking out to lap at his jawline. "Tell you not to invite nasty men into your bedchambers and then close the door."

Daisuke gasped in surprise as suddenly the other flung him down on the bed, which had mysteriously materialized behind him. "When…? How…?" He looked up helplessly at Dark, who was unclasping the cloak from his shoulders.

"I carried you over here, pretty Dai," the viscount whispered. Kneeling down in front of the redhead like some parody of a lover to his chosen lady, the lord continued removing his garments until he wore naught but his breeches. His clothes lay pooled on the floor, like so many liquid shadows. "Come." Frightened but at the same time enthralled, Daisuke allowed the other to sinuously slide over him until their bodies were touching, separated only by thin layers of cloth. The redhead could not find it in himself to move, even when he reminded himself of the penance and eternal damnation that awaited him in Hell's fiery pits should he choose to commit the act of…of sodomy with this man.

"What do you want?" He whispered as the scent of rain and grass surrounded him once more. "Why are you doing this?"

One hand moved to gently brush a few stray strands of red hair away from his eyes, gently caressing his face and moving downwards to deftly unclasp the brooch that held his cloak on. "What does it look like I want, pretty Daisuke?" He whispered. The younger one screwed his eyes shut, his head moving from side to side slowly as though he could not quite bring himself to deny Dark fully. The viscount, true to his name, smiled darkly as he dragged his tongue down to the delicate collarbones.

Daisuke turned his head to one side, tears pricking his eyes as he tried to bury himself into the soft pillow, as though turning away would make Dark stop. The viscount mercifully paused and Daisuke dared to hope that the other would leave, just as he had done before, but to his dismay Dark moved upwards and gently tilted his head, purple eyes boring in. "Do you not like it?" He inquired deceptively mildly.

The younger lord whimpered. "Stop…" he breathed out. Dark smiled wickedly and shook his head.

"I'll be gentle," he promised as he continued feathering touches over the redhead. Daisuke tossed his head from side to side, trying to force his hands to move. However, all thoughts of leaving left his mind as Dark's lips feathered over a particularly sensitive spot.

"Ngh…ah!" Dark chuckled to himself.

"Feels good?"

"A-ah…" Daisuke could only dimly hear the noises he was making, mind now clouded over with pleasure. "M-more…" He whispered, cheeks flushing as he thought of what 'more' meant. The purple-haired noble smiled at him, dark eyes smouldering in the dimly lit room.

"Of course." Outside, the trees and plants gossiped as the wind rushed through their spindly branches, the walls standing as implacable listeners. After all, everyone knows that the walls have eyes and the wind has ears.

**Next morning:**

Daisuke slowly awoke, frowning as he tried to place the reason for the dull ache in his lower back, sleep still clouding his memory. However, as soon as his nose caught the faint scent of rain and grass, he turned pale at the mere thought of what had transpired between himself and the viscount. Of course, the other was nowhere to be seen, presumably having returned to his own chambers in order to avoid being caught by one of the servants.

He landed on the ground with an undignified thud as he tried to scramble out of bed, only to find that the ache in his lower body intensified upon movement. Swallowing hard, he forced himself to stand up and flinched at the mere thought of dueling Sir Mouri today. A flash of red suddenly caught his eye and he stared in horror, wondering just what could have put the blood there. Certainly he hadn't…?

Daisuke managed to make his way down the stairs of Castle Shadow, eyes wide and frightened as he looked at everyone who greeted or even looked at him. He felt as though he had a large wooden sign around his neck, one that signalled the loss of his virtue. Nevertheless, last night's events were burned into his memory, particularly the ones where Dark showed him other uses for the jar of scented oil he used to massage sore spots left from physical training. A blush of guilt, embarrassment and want stained his cheeks at the memory and he hastily shook his head.

"Daisuke." To the redhead's chagrin and dismay, the older lord was already there, seated at his usual place. "How was your…night?" The redhead blushed and turned his head away, refusing to answer. The purple-haired man chuckled at him, a knowing look in his eyes. Daisuke immediately made his mind up.

"Father," he said gently. "May I please be excused from breakfast?" Lord Kosuke merely nodded, wrapped up in the mundane matters of land and animal tax. "Thank you." He could not help shooting a triumphant look at Dark, who merely took another bite of bread in response.

"Raise your glaive, Lord Daisuke! It is not a knight's lance; it is a _glaive_!" Their weapons clashed together in the rays of the half-risen sun, the sound ringing through the training fields. "That's it; parry, block, thrust! Parry, block, thrust! Parry, block, thrust!" Sir Mouri seemed more intense than usual, his blows stronger than the ones he normally used for a warm-up exercise.

They stopped for a water break, during which Daisuke shifted uncomfortably as the aches in his body grew. He swallowed hard at the thought of going to the priest's to confess such a gross violation of the Lord's law; he would likely denounce him to his father and have him burnt at the stake; but he could not think of another way to ask for the Lord's forgiveness.

Meanwhile, Sir Mouri was wrapped up in his own thoughts, praying fervently that Daisuke was _not _bow-legged because of a night with the visiting viscount. However, he could not deny that the other moved awkwardly, just like Ryo did after a night with that blue-haired son of a…he stopped himself with a frown, clearly still unhappy with Rowen of the Strata. There was only one way to find out, but he dreaded hearing the answer and hence did not question the younger lord.

"Sir Mouri?"

The auburn-haired man's head jerked up in surprise, whipping around to look at his protégé. "Yes, Lord Daisuke?"

The other flushed darkly, clearly uncomfortable with the question that was bound to slip out of his lips. The Torrent Knight felt his insides shrivel up as the magic words flew out of Daisuke's lips. "Is Sir Hashiba all right?"

Sir Mouri gave a bitter laugh, extremely different from his usual mild laughter. "Oh, indeed. He's thriving."

"What did Dark mean when he said that-that Sir Hashiba warmed his bed?"

"That's quite enough," a new voice interrupted. Sir Mouri turned around to see Sir Date emerge from the trees where he had likely been meditating. "Lord Daisuke, if you will permit me, I shall take over your training until Sir Mouri has composed himself sufficiently. It appears that your question has frightened him out of several months' life." Indeed, the blue-armoured knight was gaping like a fish, his pale face suffused with a shade of scarlet as of yet, Daisuke was sure, unknown to man. Cye had never been more grateful to his partner than he was now. However, he had only one question to ask, based on Daisuke's previous ones.

"Why do you ask, Lord Daisuke?" The wind whistled through the silent field, grass rustling in response. Daisuke blushed hotly and turned his head to one side, causing the knights of Halo and Torrent to reach the same conclusion. Being the more composed of the two, Sir Date took it upon himself to invite the other to their living quarters, but the offer was brushed aside as Daisuke picked up his glaive and rushed up the hill, back to the castle. Sir Date's head bowed in shame whilst Sir Mouri let his tears fall once more, both sure that they had failed to protect their lord.

**Dark:**

_And the lily is mine,_ he thought triumphantly as he bent down to pluck one from its place in the ground. Stroking the vibrant purple petals, he smiled at the memory of Daisuke's face, eyes squeezed shut and mouth slightly open as he writhed on the sheets in pleasure. His amethyst eyes slide shut at the thought of another night with the pretty young redhead. _I'll make sure you crave no woman ever after. _

His head jerked up at the sound of his name being called. A messenger ran in, dark brown eyes wide and hair tousled from riding on a horse. He approached Dark and bowed low, holding the scroll of parchment out in front of him like a gift. "A message for Viscount Dark Mousy of House Blackwing," he announced to the flowers. Smiling, Dark took the letter from the other's hands, making sure to brush them more than was absolutely necessary.

"Thank you, lad," he smiled. "Make sure you get something to eat from the kitchens before you return." Murmuring his thanks, the messenger bowed once more and turned to leave.

In the privacy of his own chambers, he opened the roll of parchment. Surprisingly enough, it was not a summons from his bat of a father to return home, but a reply from Count Maxwell. _How like him, _Dark mused. _He answers informal letters not, but mention a pretty virgin in them and he slavers for more news. _A cruel observation, perhaps, but one that was not without substance.

**Daisuke:**

Daisuke swallowed hard as he looked up at the imposing front of the church. He knew that it wasn't unusual to enter by himself, especially when he was just about to begin the day, he could not help but wonder whether the lightning of the Lord's vengeance would strike him down in the holy place.

"Who's there?" A blue-haired youth wearing spectacles emerged from a side door, his eyes and gait wary. Daisuke immediately noted the dagger at his waist, a sharp contrast to his green and brown clothing. "Who are you?" The blue-haired man asked once more.

"I-I'm Lord Daisuke," the redhead stammered out. The other's presence caused him to feel like a child once more. The other looked him over before frowning lightly.

"You're looking for the priest," he stated. Daisuke blinked, unsure of what to say. "Wait here." There was nothing the lord could do except wait whilst the other fetched the priest from his room of wood and cotton. As he waited, Daisuke began the ritualistic words preceding a confession. _Forgive me Father, for I have sinned…_

* * *

Oh, h-ll. What have I done? Well, happy Easter everyone! 


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7:**

Disclaimer: I do not own DN Angel, or any of the other anime characters mentioned here. Any similarities between OCs and living people are purely coincidental.

A/N: Hey there, I've been tied up with universities and exams lately, so please excuse my long absence. However, I have finally gotten around to writing this latest chapter, so enjoy!

* * *

Father Stefanos was a worldly priest, well-versed in the sins of the world, and accustomed to hearing of the most heinous crimes without turning pale. Rumour had it that as a young man, he had himself committed a horrible crime, and was now atoning for it by becoming a priest. Nevertheless, no one could deny that he gave good advice, or that he was extremely intelligent. Some nobles had been even heard to wish that their sons were half as intelligent as he was.

It was at Castle Shadow that the Father had decided to reside, upon seeing Lord Kosuke and judging him to be a good man. For ten years he had served as the castle priest, giving advice to all who asked for it, and helping those who needed guidance. At six-and-fifty years of age, he was still strong and healthy; a rare thing for anyone to be. He smiled as he mixed his herbs, intending to keep the medicine for a rainy day. He doubted that anyone would come down with the chills in this weather, but one just never knew. Then came a knock on the door.

"Come in," the middle-aged priest called. It was Satoshi, his thin, well-made spectacles glinting in the sunlight.

"Lord Daisuke Niwa is here," the boy softly called. Stefanos smiled, blue eyes twinkling. He found the redhead to be a refreshing change from the other, pettier lords and ladies who came to see him for help. The boy would have made an excellent priest, had he not been next in line for the Seat. He walked out from his chambers, into the church and immediately spotted the heir to House Shadow. "Ah, my lord," he said politely, walking over to the pew and bowing deeply. "What troubles you?"

"Father, I have a confession to make," the redhead whispered softly, eyes downcast. Stefanos sighed and motioned for the other to rise.

"Come, then. I will hear your confession." The priest smiled reassuringly and patted the younger man's head.

After hearing the young noble's confession, Father Stefanos sighed and closed his eyes. Daisuke trembled for fear that the man would damn him to Hell's deepest regions and curse his name forever. The silence stretched on. "You know, my son," the priest finally said. "I can absolve you of giving in to desires of the flesh, but I can no more condemn your feelings than turn you into a woman." He smiled at the look of shock on Daisuke's face. "But I can give you advice, to guide you until you're ready to face things head on."

All courtly manners forgotten, Daisuke could only gawk like a commoner at the priest. "But-but isn't sodomy forbidden? Isn't it breaking one of the Ten Commandments?" He blurted out.

The older man sighed. "Well, yes, but I do not think God would condemn you for a deed born of inexperience."

The redhead said nothing more, staring at his hands and hoping that Father Stefanos could give him some advice. It was reassuring to know that he would not be condemned to the inferno of Hell after his death, but he did not know what advice _could_ help him overcome this great weakness. "But I do think, my lord, that you should perhaps…avoid Viscount Mousy for a while. It may help you gather your thoughts."

Daisuke swallowed hard. "I…tried." The last word came out in a whisper even as he stared abashedly at his hands, settled neatly in his lap. "I mean, I hid in the stables. And-and I tried to…"

"Yes." The priest gently cut him off. Father Stefanos was a patient man, but he had never been one for repetition. "I am sure God knows you did your very best to avoid the viscount. But my lord, you must distance yourself from him even further. Surround yourself with attendants, if you must. I am sure your Element Knights would be willing to do the job-Sir Mouri was here the other day, asking for advice. Perhaps you should tell him a little more about your…situation." He did not want to aggravate the young noble any further. Replacing the serene smile on his face, Father Stefanos bade the young man leave.

As usual, Satoshi ghosted out from the side door next to the altar, a white cloth in hand. It appeared that he had been polishing the shelves in their quarters again. "I cannot say I agree with you, Father." Stefanos smiled.

"I did not expect you to." Satoshi looked at him sharply, blue eyes flashing but his features otherwise completely smooth. "They talk," he said abruptly. Father Stefanos looked at him, brown eyes mildly interested. "The servants. They say that the viscount does not care who he beds. It seems that he has even insinuated himself into the Element Knights." The priest sighed.

"I consider myself to be beyond such petty gossip." Satoshi only sighed at the priest's

"Father?" Both priest and assistant turned in surprise, startled by the unfamiliar voice. Immediately donning a mask of obliviousness, Father Stefanos rose from the bench, smiling benignly. This mask had served him well during his time in Drinolor, where people were likely to ignore anyone who did not look sharp.

"Is there something you require, my lord?" Stefanos asked blandly.

Dark Mousy smiled. "In fact, there is."

Satoshi vanished once more, leaving the priest with the viscount. "Now then," smiling amethyst eyes turned towards Stefanos, "there is a little matter regarding a certain man, which I would like to talk to you about…"

It was nightfall before Dark left the church, smiling with pleasure. It had been a good day. A very good day. Meanwhile, inside the humble stone building, Father Stefanos wiped his brow. For the first time in thirty years, he was genuinely worried about what the Viscount might do. It was all right for him to leave; perhaps he'd been staying too long in one place anyway; but Satoshi would be devastated. And the young man did not deserve that.

**Element Knights:**

There was still tension in their cottage, thanks to Rowen and Cye's determination to continue fighting. The two of them were still ignoring each other, making snide remarks about each other, and quite honestly, Sir Sanada was sick to the teeth of it. He simply could not understand why Cye was in such a state over the viscount and Rowen's little…tryst. Ryo wrinkled his nose in distaste at the thought of having to share _anything_ with the noble, let alone a bed, but he supposed he could see the older man's appeal. After all, the man did have a sort of air about him that drew most people to him, rather like moths to a flame. Speaking of which…the blue-eyed Wildfire Knight narrowed his eyes and squinted into the distance. Was that Viscount Dark Mousy, the cause of all these problems? Another look had the knight running into the house to warn the others.

Sir Sage Date, the Halo Knight, sighed and turned to his comrade-in-arms and lover, the Torrent Knight. The other was still distraught over what he perceived as a failure to protect his lord, with the result that his eyes were downcast and he did not even have the heart to attempt a smile. "We will have to remedy this situation, but I see no reason for you to act so around Rowen." Cye ignored him, pushing the hand that rested on his chest away. Sage frowned and touched the other man again, rubbing in circles to soothe his friend.

"Stop it, Sage." Cye sounded slightly annoyed, a sure sign that his mind was not at ease. "I need to figure out how to convince Daisuke that he has to stay away from the viscount, no matter how tempted he is."

"Think on it tomorrow," Sage replied mildly. "You have done nothing for the past five days except pick fights with Rowen and worry yourself sick over something that might or might not have happened."

Cye glared fiercely at the other man. "Of course it's happened! Why else would our lord ask about such things otherwise?"

Sage tried to soothe the auburn-haired knight. "It will be fine, Cye. Everything will be fine, as soon as we talk to Lord Daisuke. Besides, I have heard that…" The Halo Knight paused delicately, trying to think of a way to convey his information to his lover that would not imply any participation in idle gossip. "No, I have a feeling Lord Daisuke will be avoiding Viscount Mousy for the foreseeable future. And besides, the man may leave our lord alone; if events have played out as we fear, he may not even want to talk to Lord Daisuke any more." Cye scowled and stood up abruptly, causing a twinge of desire within the blond knight in spite of their serious situation. Sighing, he watched his comrade dress and head back, his yari slung over one shoulder.

Dark Mousy stopped at the cottage, smiling as though he did not know anything of the discord he had sown amongst the Element Knights. Raising one, gauntleted hand to knock on the door, he suddenly found the barrier flung open in his face, and he looked into a pair of intense blue eyes. "Viscount Mousy," Sir Sanada said shortly, bending just low enough to satisfy the protocol, and not an iota lower. "Why are you here?"

Ryo knew that it wasn't his place to question a noble, but this particular man got on his nerves. His irritation only increased when the other man smiled lazily and walked into the cottage as though he owned the place. Surprisingly, the other did nothing to correct his lack of manners, instead walking over to Rowen and ignoring the Wildfire Knight. Leaning casually on the sturdy wooden table, he tilted the Strata Knight's book slightly, peering over the top good-naturedly. "Good day, sir knight," he smiled. "I was hoping for the pleasure of your company…in the training field. I heard you were the best archer in these parts, and I would dearly like to test my skill with the bow against yours." He continued to smile serenely, ignoring the way Ryo's hands clenched into fists and pretending not to see the look of utter shame and embarrassment play across the blue-haired knight's face. Dark smiled to himself. He was going to drive those Element Knights so far apart that they wouldn't want to remember each other's names by the time he was finished with them.

**Daisuke:**

Daisuke listened quietly as Master Minamino continued to expound on the yearly exports of the Firebelt, the strip of desert that connected the countries of the Ruyzon Alliance with the southern lands of Cheyne, Rygen and Lasjir. He felt a little better now; at least the priest had provided him with some form of advice, which he could put to use. What worried him now was where to hide; the older noble had never seemed to have too much difficulty locating him. And there was the problem of their morning rides, which had become something like a custom in order to facilitate relations between the two young men. He was startled out of his thoughts by the audible 'thwack' of the large paper fan onto the solid wooden table.

"My lord, it is impossible for me to teach you like this!" Daisuke looked up in bewilderment at his tutor.

"I beg your pardon?"

"My lord," Minamino said, moderating his tone slightly, "I cannot do this. Pardon me for my insolence, but if you do not concentrate on your studies, I cannot do my job properly."

The redhead stared at him. "I'm fine!" He desperately tried to reassure the distraught tutor, but his words only served to agitate the man further and culminated in the noble's promising to do extra work in order to make up for the time lost during the lesson. _Well, _Daisuke thought miserably, _at least I'll have a valid reason to avoid Dark. And keep my mind busy. _

He'd proceeded to hide in the library for the rest of the afternoon, ploughing through History, Classical Translation and calculating House Shadow's income in the past year, almost crying when he realized that he'd failed to subtract the cost of running Castle Shadow, and the various manors scattered about their lands. For the first time in weeks, Daisuke was left to work in peace.

**Dark:**

Dark wondered whether to continue toying with the little redheaded heir to Castle Shadow, or whether to leave him alone and craving for more. He smiled to himself as he recalled the expression of wanton, innocent bliss on Daisuke face as he drank in the pleasure of his first experience that night. A thrill ran through the viscount and he half-closed his eyes, smiling lazily at Rowen. The blue-haired knight was frowning, and if his shooting was anything to go by, his mind was not on the task at hand.

"Ro-wen," he softly sang into the quiet field. The knight stoically ignored him, blue eyes staring at the straw targets peppered with arrows. He raised his strangely-made golden bow once more, ready to fire, but gasped as the other man ghosted behind him and ran gentle but experienced hands up his sides. "Rowen, you've been so _cold_," purred the viscount. "I haven't heard from you at all lately." The Strata Knight swallowed and ignored him, shutting his eyes and forcing himself not to use the bow to hit the man behind him. He didn't like the fact that he'd…_slept_ with the man. He wasn't proud of the way he'd given in so easily and perhaps if he'd had a second chance he might have left the young noble's chambers before things got out of hand. Rowen scowled as a hand drifted across his waist and slapped it away, slipping out of Dark's grasp and placing his bow between the two of them.

"Stop it." He was proud of how steady his voice was, how blank his face was. "I don't like your little games. So go away, and leave us be."

Dark threw back his head and laughed. "I didn't think you'd be so hostile," he remarked. "Have you talked to Dai-no, _Lord Niwa_ yet?" He smiled at the look of shock on Rowen's face. "No?" He asked mockingly. "Why, Rowen, I thought you would have been happy to share your experience-I thought perhaps _you _were the reason little Daisuke was so…accommodating." Knowing that he had driven the point home, he turned and left, laughing away. It was always so fun to toy with fighting men's minds-they often failed to grasp the complexities of politics and ended up ruining themselves.

Standing alone on that archery range, Rowen's mind worked quickly and soon fit the entire puzzle together. Admittedly, the outcome was not one that pleased him, but he did still feel rather annoyed at Sir Mouri's reaction. _He could have just told me,_ the blue-haired knight thought resentfully. Sighing to himself, he returned to the cottage, wondering how he was going to break the news to his comrades. Perhaps Sage would have an idea.

Dark sauntered up the hill and back to the castle, smiling a little still at the thought of seeing Daisuke once more. It would be fun to provoke the little one, and he was sure that the younger man's expression would be priceless. After all, he could not be the only one who had fond memories of their night together.

**Daisuke:**

Daisuke sighed blissfully as he closed the last book, leaning back in his chair and stretching lazily. He was glad to have finished at least his classical translation for the day; he liked working with ancient languages, but his eyes hurt and he was still a little distracted from the matter at hand. He frowned, remembering that Sir Mouri had gone to see Father Stefanos as well; perhaps it would be worth talking to his trainer. Then he remembered the look on the auburn-haired man's face when he'd asked _that _question, and he decided against it. He did not want the yari wielder to look down on him, or to think that he was a child.

He heard the sound of footsteps approaching and turned, smiling, only to see Viscount Dark Mousy, dressed in rough training clothes and still carrying his bow and a quiver of arrows. In spite of his apprehension towards the other man, he could not help blushing as he remembered exactly what had happened the last time they'd met. To his surprise, the other nodded with a small smile and walked past, not even deigning to greet him. Although Daisuke knew that he should feel relieved, he felt a twinge of annoyance at being ignored so easily.

Dinner passed just as quietly, with Dark smiling and talking as usual but not paying any particular attention to Daisuke. Gone were the small, secretive smiles that had made his hair prickle and the back of his neck grow hot, and the occasional teasing touch of a foot. Daisuke wanted to scream at the viscount; how on earth could he possibly be so nonchalant, blowing hot one minute and cold the next? The redhead scowled and tried to shove another forkful of food into his mouth, only to realize that there was no room for it. Dark smirked and for a second, Daisuke felt himself turn red and much to his mortification, felt a twitch in an extremely inappropriate area of his body. The violet-eyed man's smirk grew in size as though he could see exactly what was going on within the younger lord's mind before he returned to the food in front of him as though nothing had ever happened between the two.

Dark was enjoying himself thoroughly. Although he had not purposely gone out of his way to attract Daisuke's attention, the other was clearly still thinking of him and if that absolutely charming blush was anything to go by, his memories were not altogether wholesome. The whole effect was fully rounded out by the thought of his satisfying conversation with the infamous Father Stefanos and a few, well-made comments regarding the rather scandalous affair at St. Muranus almost ten whole years ago.

'Least said, soonest mended' was one of his mother's favourite adages, and Daisuke decided to apply it to this situation. Continuing to uphold his part of the conversation, he soon found himself engrossed in a quiet discussion with his father over how to best utilize House Shadow's profits, for it appeared evident that there would be plenty left in the coffers for any member of the family. Dark did not participate, knowing that he would be unwelcome in such a personal discussion, but he did listen in, storing potentially useful pieces of information in his mind to be used later in his dealings with House Shadow. _Father would never have thought to do such a thing_, he thought contemptuously. Suddenly, a messenger ran in, holding a scroll embossed with a dark purple seal. Dark immediately recognized it; he knew that on closer inspection, the seal would bear the two feathered wings of House Blackwing.

"A message for the Viscount Dark Mousy," the messenger bowed low, looking around for a likely candidate. Dark rose and strode towards the man, noting that he was nondescript in every way. "Thank you," he told the other shortly before turning around to return to the table, breaking open the seal along the way. Amethyst eyes scanned the parchment quickly before he barked out a short, sharp laugh.

'_My dear son,'_ the letter ran, _'I hope this finds you well. I trust that your visit to House Shadow has been fruitful, and that you have not frittered your time away seducing their daughters or wives.' _Dark had to conceal a snort at this part, wondering whether his stolid, dull father could ever conceive the idea of homosexuality. He continued reading. _'I have recently become acquainted with a most charming lady, Lady Elena Zerada of House Fairwind. Perhaps you know her? I have decided to wed her on the tenth day of the ninth month of this year. I trust that you will be back in time for the ceremony. Please tell your generous hosts that I would like to take this opportunity to invite them to our wedding. Your father bids you make haste to return, as there is also much to be done. Signed, Lord Evan Mousy, Head of House Blackwing.'_

Dark could not help but feel a little ashamed in spite of his own, much more brazen activities. Lady Elena Zerada was well-known for her charms and feminine wiles, and he was willing to bet his favourite stallion that she had only consented to marry his father because of the full coffers he would provide. House Fairwind itself was notorious for the perilous state of its affairs and the only reason they had not been demoted or shunned was because of their beautiful daughters, all skilled at seducing wealthy old men. Dark sighed to himself and smiling all the while, extended his father's wedding invitation to the Head of House Shadow and all his kith and kin.

**A few hours later:**

Daisuke lay on his bed, thinking about the events of the past days. He told himself firmly that it was better to be satisfied with Father Stefanos' advice, but deep down he wondered whether God would really forgive him this horrifying transgression. Perhaps he should offer his services to the church again, for penance. Father Stefanos was sure to need some help and it would be a way of reconciling himself with the Lord. He was startled out of his thoughts by a sudden knock on the door.

Frowning, the young lord answered it, staring in surprise at the sight of Dark, standing in the corridor clad in naught save for his undershirt and breeches. Ruby eyes widened and before he was conscious of having actually moved, Daisuke punched the other man solidly in the face, watching in grim satisfaction as the other staggered back and crashed into the heavy stone wall. He turned to slam the door, only to be knocked into his room by a sudden, heavy weight landing on his back. Daisuke cried out in surprise and turned, only to see his heavy wooden door swing shut before his lips were seized in a searing kiss.

"That was not nice," Dark panted out. This close, Daisuke could see the bruise already forming around the other's eye. He tried to fight the other off once more, but he somehow found himself struggling uselessly against the noble's weight. Dark smiled down at him once more and in spite of himself, the redhead felt a shiver of heat bolt through him. The purple-haired man smiled down at him once more, licking his lips almost thoughtfully. "You know," he murmured into Daisuke's ear, "I'd like to continue our little…" He paused even as the man underneath him whined. "…tryst." He smiled deceptively softly at the other. "And you know, I should really…punish you for revealing our little secret." At the look of fear on the young man's face, he smiled again. "It's all right," he whispered, lowering his head towards Daisuke's ear and gently nibbling at the lobe. "I'll be gentle." A hand made its way downwards and ruby eyes clouded with lust, a cry of pleasure escaping those lips and causing the viscount's smirk to only further grow in size.

Daisuke did not regain his senses until the early hours of the morning, but this time he did not have the luxury of the temporary haze that sleep often left as a parting gift. He stared in horror at the sleeping viscount beside him. Wild schemes of how to smuggle the man out of his room without being seen filled his mind, but a sudden knock on his door scared him even further. Panicking, Daisuke looked around for a place to hide the slumbering form of the purple-haired viscount, but he knew that in his current state he would be unable to do anything before the door swung open.

"My lord Daisuke, are you awake?" Daisuke swallowed hard. Knowing that the Torrent Knight suspected him of a…relationship with Viscount Mousy was bad enough, but the memory of their last meeting had not disappeared yet, and the redhead was loathe to face his tutor when he knew that the other disapproved of his actions. Seeing Dark-no, the viscount-sharing a bed with him would only rain further disgrace upon his head, and he knew that the Torrent Knight would not hesitate to inform Lord Kosuke of his actions.

"I'm dressing!" The redhead hastily called back, doing his best to make himself heard but at the same time praying fervently that the Torrent Knight did not make it a point to enter and help him dress. He had been on the receiving end of Sir Mouri's worry once, and once had been enough. Tugging on his breeches and cursing at the tightness of his clothing, he almost yelled in shock when Dark suddenly surged up in a flurry of soft blankets and gently leaned on him, breath tickling his suddenly-sensitive neck and one hand lazily stroking his back. He gasped as the long, skilled fingers gently trailed down the curve of his spine and as the arm wound itself gently around his waist.

"Morning," the older man slurred into Daisuke's ear. As determined as he was to leave, the redheaded lord could not repress a shudder as memories of the previous night flooded his mind. His throat suddenly felt as dry as though he had had nothing to drink for days, and he knew that his cheeks were red and flushed. "I see you're an early riser." Daisuke turned to stare at him in surprise and suddenly, remembering everything he'd ever been taught, pushed him away and scrambled out of the room, flinging the door shut behind him. Dark sighed and collapsed back onto the soft bed, a smile playing around his lips. Yes, he thought, it was always good to be shown such hospitality. A willing bedmate was hard to come by, such an innocent one even more so. It really was a pity that he could not stay longer.

Sir Mouri strode along the corridors of Castle Shadow, ignoring the young lord beside him. He wondered whether Daisuke could sense anything wrong with him; he was no longer able to look at his lord without feeling a sense of utter shame at failing his duty. How could he not have seen the viscount's designs upon Lord Daisuke? How could he have failed to give the younger man guidance when he needed it? These questions galled him and yet he knew that the only way to remedy the situation now was to ensure that Daisuke no longer met with the viscount alone. _Lord, give me the strength to fulfill my duty,_ he prayed.

Daisuke swallowed hard, trying to get past the lump of guilt and shame blocking his throat. He did not doubt for one moment that Sir Mouri knew of what had transpired between him and Dark-Viscount Mousy-but at the same time he could not bring himself to actually admit to the fact. He remembered their last meeting and the look of shame on Sir Mouri's face, and wished fervently for some way to open a conversation without mentioning the dashing viscount.

"You will be learning some new moves today," Sir Mouri abruptly said. His blue eyes were still focused on the end of the corridor, with its bright tapestries and slivers of sunlight pouring in through the windows. "They will help to hone your focus and increase your flexibility." The entire hallway suddenly became blurry and his eyes prickled. A hot wave of shame and embarrassment washed over him; he knew that Sir Mouri would not have kept silent about his revelation, and he wondered whether all the Element Knights knew about his and Dark's…what was it the man had called it? A tryst? Although he had had little knowledge of the pleasures of the flesh, Daisuke was certain that his relationship with the heir of House Blackwing was not normal.

They made their way down to the practice fields without any further conversation, Daisuke afraid to speak for fear of losing what was left of his composure and Sir Mouri unable to think of anything else to say to the lord he believed he'd failed.

Practice was absolutely terrible. Daisuke found himself on his back more often than not, and the glaive felt out of balance in his hands. His back felt tight, and every time he thought about the most likely cause he felt his face go red once more. The blank look on Sir Mouri's face was even more distressing; whereas before he had become exasperated at Daisuke's mistakes, he now seemed impervious and uncaring, almost cold. It was frightening. A flash of dark blue caught his eye and he turned to see Sir Hashiba leaning on the fence of the training grounds, blue eyes boring a hole into Sir Mouri. The Torrent Knight affected not to notice the other, but judging from the white-knuckled grip on his weapon, he was not as unaffected as he would have the spectator and his pupil believe. After what seemed like an eternity of terse silence, only punctuated by the clangs of heavy steel, Sir Hashiba chose to say something. "What, in God's name, do you teach your pupil, Sir Mouri?" Cye flushed at the slight to his skills. "Let me guess-oh don't worry, just nod or shake your head in response. First guess: does it require him to be on his _back_ very often? He seems to enjoy it down there, doesn't he?" Daisuke almost dropped his weapon in shock. Surely Sir Hashiba wasn't fully aware of what had transpired between him and Dark?

In a whirl of steel and light blue armour, the Torrent Knight suddenly leapt over the fence that marked the training field like a man possessed and went after the Strata Knight. Uncaring of whether they both tumbled down the small hill or smashed into a tree, the two men rolled and fought, legs and hands lashing out blindly, their only intent to cause pain. Daisuke could only watch numbly, unable to believe that his Knights, the small group assigned to watch over him until he became a full Lord of the Land, were fighting amongst themselves already.

He shook his head to clear it of the numbness and ran towards the flailing tangle of human limbs, yelling for them to stop all the while. "Stop!" He shouted, trying his best to sound as commanding as possible. "I command you to stop!" The two knights ignored him, desperately trying to injure the other as much as possible and the scuffle continued until Kento intervened.

The Knight of Hardrock had been practicing in a nearby field, going through his kata until Daisuke's cries had alerted him to the disturbance. Wading into the scuffle, he easily separated Rowen and Cye, holding them apart easily. The two men glared daggers at each other, but they no longer attempted to resume their fight. Kento looked slowly from one man to the other and sighed. _It really should've been Sir Prim to stop these two,_ he thought ruefully. As much as he hated to admit it, Sage was the best with words; Kento himself had always preferred a good, honest scrap. Nevertheless, even he had to admit that what Torrent and Strata needed right now was a good, long talking to. Perhaps he should get Ryo out here? "Daisuke, what happened?" The orange-armoured knight stared at the redhead, hoping he would find some answers.

"Let me go," growled Rowen. "It's not my fault Cye can't take a little joke."

"It wasn't funny," spat Cye. "You crossed a line, Rowen!"

"I was merely telling the truth in a shorter, more memorable form!" The other man sneered. Sensing that he would not get much out of any of the people involved, Kento began to haul the pair off to Sage and Ryo.

"My lord, may I please be excused?" Daisuke could only nod and watch in silence as the strong man hauled his two comrades off, presumably back to the little house in which they all lived.

Feeling his face grow hot and his eyes prickle, Daisuke turned around, only to see the two people he could not bear to see right now. His father and the viscount Dark Mousy.

Lord Kosuke's eyebrows were drawn downwards in a frown, his dark eyes intense and disappointed. "I was under the impression that you could control your own guards, Daisuke," he mildly commented before walking towards another training field, turning to talk to Dark once more. The purple-haired man turned around to flash a smirk at Daisuke, the look in his eyes one of sheer delight and wickedness. At the sight of the devil-may-care glint in the viscount's eyes, the redhead was ashamed and shocked to find that his body tingled with the memory of their night together.


End file.
